Dark Fever
by Twilidramon
Summary: With the Great Battle won and peace restored, the four Clans look forward to a happy life around the lake with little disruption; but when the Moonpool goes dark and a strange sickness begins killing cats, its up to timid Maplepaw of ThunderClan and loyal Hawkpaw of ShadowClan to find the cure - and discover a new home for the Clans. Rated T.
1. Allegiances

**Welcome to the promised new story - Dark Fever! If you've come here from _Celestial Eclipse,_ hey there! If you're just getting into my writing, then hello and I hope you enjoy!_  
_**

**I recall seeing a story with a similar premise to this one... so I hope that this story's plot deviates enough so that it seems like an original idea. It's going to be hard to update this one alongside _Celestial Eclipse's_ sequel, but I'm going to try and dedicate certain days of the week to writing so that everything updates in a timely manner.**

**Anyway, this story should not take forever to get to its main point. There are a few totally new protagonists to learn about and love (or hate). This story takes place several moons after _The Last Hope_ - not too many moons, as you can see by the Allegiances (about eight, to be more exact). I've done my best to piece together what they ought to be after the Great Battle, but if I've messed anything up please let me know and I'll look into it further.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**THUNDERCLAN**

Leader: Bramblestar – dark brown tabby tom, amber eyes (Squirrelflight's mate)

Deputy: Squirrelflight – dark ginger she-cat with a long, plumy tail (mother of Spottedpaw)

Medicine cat: Leafpool – light brown tabby she-cat with white chest and paws (mother of Jayfeather and Lionblaze) _(Jayfeather)_

Warriors:

Brackenfur – golden brown tabby tom (father of Poppyfrost, Cinderheart, Lilyflight, and Seedfur) _(Amberpaw)_

Cloudtail – fluffy white tom, blue eyes (Brightheart's mate)

Millie – silver tabby she-cat (mother of Bumblestripe, Briarlight, and Blossomfall) _(Dewpaw)_

Thornclaw – golden brown tabby tom (Daisy's mate) _(Snowpaw)_

Brightheart – ginger-and-white she-cat (mother of Whitewing, Amberpaw, Snowpaw, and Dewpaw)

Spiderleg – long-legged black tom with a brown underbelly _(Spottedpaw)_

Whitewing – white she-cat with green eyes (mother of Ivypool and Dovewing)

Birchfall – light brown tabby tom (Whitewing's mate)

Berrynose – cream-colored tom (Poppyfrost's mate)_ (Maplepaw)_

Hazeltail – small gray-and-white she-cat

Mousewhisker – gray-and-white tom

Lionblaze – golden brown tabby tom (Cinderheart's mate)

Foxleap – reddish brown tabby tom

Icecloud – white she-cat

Toadstep – black-and-white tom (Ivypool's mate)

Rosepetal – slender dark cream she-cat

Blossomfall – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Bumblestripe – pale gray tabby tom (Dovewing's mate)

Dovewing – pale gray she-cat (mother of Maplepaw)

Cherrynose – fluffy ginger tabby she-cat

Molepelt – brown-and-cream tom

Lilyflight – dark tabby she-cat with white patches

Seedfur – dark ginger she-cat

Apprentices:

Jayfeather – pale gray tabby tom, blind blue eyes; medicine cat apprentice

Amberpaw – gray she-cat with white patches

Dewpaw – gray tom, amber eyes

Snowpaw – solid white tom

Spottedpaw – tortoiseshell she-cat with bright splashes of ginger

Maplepaw – tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with a white muzzle

Queens:

Cinderheart – gray tabby she-cat (mother of Lionblaze's kits - Sootkit, Rainkit, and Hollykit)

Daisy – long-haired cream she-cat (mother of Thornclaw's kits – Sparrowkit, Dawnkit, Honeykit, and Goldenkit; mother of Berrynose, Hazeltail, Mousewhisker, Rosepetal, and Toadstep)

Ivypool – silver-and-white tabby she-cat (expecting Toadstep's kits)

Poppyfrost – tortoiseshell she-cat (expecting Berrynose's kits; mother of Cherrynose and Molepelt)

Elders:

Briarlight – dark brown she-cat with a shattered spine

Graystripe – gray tom with a darker stripe of fur down his spine (Millie's mate)

Sandstorm – pale ginger she-cat (mother of Squirrelflight and Leafpool)

Dustpelt – dark brown tabby tom (father of Birchfall, Spiderleg, Foxleap, and Icecloud)

Purdy – plump tabby tom with a gray muzzle

* * *

**WINDCLAN**

Leader: Onestar – brown tabby tom (Whitetail's mate)

Deputy: Ashfoot – pale gray she-cat (mother of Crowfeather)

Medicine cat: Kestrelflight – mottled gray tom

Warriors:

Crowfeather – dark gray tom (father of Jayfeather and Lionblaze of ThunderClan) _(Robinpaw)_

Nightcloud – black she-cat _(Brackenpaw)_

Owlfeather – light brown tabby tom (Swallowtail's mate)

Heathertail – light brown tabby she-cat with pale eyes _(Oakpaw)_

Gorsetail – very pale gray and white tom with blue eyes

Harespring – brown-and-white tom

Leaftail – dark tabby tom with amber eyes _(Sorrelpaw)_

Emberfoot – gray tom with dark paws (Sedgewhisker's mate)

Sunstrike – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Whiskernose – light brown tabby tom

Furzepelt – gray-and-white she-cat

Boulderfur – gray-and-white tom

Apprentices:

Robinpaw – tortoiseshell she-cat

Brackenpaw – light brown tabby tom

Oakpaw – light brown tabby tom

Sorrelpaw – ginger-and-white tom

Queens:

Whitetail – small white she-cat (mother of Onestar's kits – Cloverkit and Mallowkit; mother of Kestrelflight, Heathertail, and Owlfeather)

Swallowtail – dark gray she-cat (mother of Owlfeather's kits – Smokekit and Beetlekit)

Sedgewhisker – light brown tabby she-cat (mother of Emberfoot's kits – Ivykit, Spiderkit, and Ashkit)

Elders:

Webfoot – dark gray tabby tom

* * *

**RIVERCLAN**

Leader: Mistystar – blue-gray she-cat (mother of Reedwhisker)

Deputy: Reedwhisker – sleek black tom

Medicine cat: Mothwing – dappled golden she-cat _(Willowshine)_

Warriors:

Graymist – pale gray tabby she-cat

Mintfur – light gray tabby tom (Mossyfoot's mate)

Icewing – white she-cat with blue eyes _(Curlpaw)_

Minnowtail – pretty dappled dark gray-and-white she-cat

Pebblefoot – mottled gray tom _(Podpaw)_

Duskfur – brown tabby she-cat (mother of Curlpaw and Podpaw)

Mallownose – light brown tabby tom (Petalfur's mate)

Grasspelt – pale brown tom

Coppernose – dark ginger she-cat _(Cherrypaw)_

Hollowflight – dark brown tabby tom _(Shellpaw)_

Troutstream – pale gray tabby she-cat

Rushtail – small, light brown tabby she-cat

Apprentices:

Willowshine – silver tabby she-cat; medicine cat apprentice

Curlpaw – pale gray tabby she-cat

Podpaw – sturdy brown tabby tom

Cherrypaw – ginger-and-white she-cat

Shellpaw – pale gray, nearly white, tom, blue eyes

Queens:

Petalfur – gray-and-white she-cat (mother of Mallownose's kits – Birchkit, Fogkit, and Lichenkit)

Mossyfoot – brown-and-white she-cat (expecting Mintfur's kits)

Elders:

Mosspelt – tortoiseshell she-cat, blue eyes (mother of Willowshine)

Dapplenose – mottled gray she-cat

Pouncetail – ginger-and-white tom

* * *

**SHADOWCLAN**

Leader: Rowanstar – dark ginger tom (Tawnypelt's mate)

Deputy: Tawnypelt – tortoiseshell she-cat (mother of Tigerheart and Dawnpelt) _(Softpaw)_

Medicine cat: Littlecloud – very small tabby tom _(Mistpaw)_

Warriors:

Smokefoot – dark gray tom _(Hawkpaw)_

Toadfoot – dark brown tom (Pinenose's mate)

Ratscar – brown tom with long scars across his back _(Sparrowpaw)_

Snowbird – pure white she-cat _(Milkpaw)_

Kinkfur – long-furred tabby she-cat (mother of Sparrowpaw and Mistpaw)

Olivenose – tortoiseshell she-cat _(Nightpaw)_

Owlclaw – light brown tabby tom (Applefur's mate)

Shrewfoot – gray she-cat with black paws

Tigerheart – dark brown tabby tom

Dawnpelt – cream-furred she-cat

Starlingwing – ginger tabby tom

Apprentices:

Mistpaw – long-furred pale gray she-cat; medicine cat apprentice

Sparrowpaw – large tabby tom

Milkpaw – cream she-cat

Nightpaw – sleek black tom

Softpaw – cream-and-tortoiseshell she-cat

Hawkpaw – dark brown tabby tom

Queens:

Pinenose – black she-cat (expecting Toadfoot's kits)

Applefur – mottled brown she-cat (mother of Owlclaw's kits – Mottlekit, Patchkit, and Fuzzykit)

Ivytail – black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat (mother of Milkpaw, Nightpaw, and Softpaw)

Elders:

Snaketail – dark brown tom with a tabby-striped tail

* * *

**CATS (AND OTHER CREATURES) OUTSIDE THE CLANS**

Smoky – gray-and-white tom

Floss – gray-and-white she-cat

Sol – tortoiseshell tom

Knack – ginger tabby tom with white chest and paws

Paddy – ragged dark gray tom with green eyes

Juniper – pale gray she-cat

Breezepelt – ragged black tom; formerly of WindClan

Moon – mysterious white cat

* * *

**THOSE LOST IN THE GREAT BATTLE**

Firestar, Hollyleaf, Ferncloud, Mousefur, and Sorreltail of ThunderClan

Weaselfur and Tornear of WindClan

Robinwing of RiverClan

Blackstar, Oakfur, Crowfrost, Scorchfur, Ferretclaw, Cedarheart, Tallpoppy, Whitewater, and Dewkit of ShadowClan


	2. Prologue

**Here's the prologue for you all.**

**If you're wondering why so many ShadowClan cats died, it will be explained later. But for now, Blackstar died after the Great Battle, and most of those listed were elders, therefore they were more frail and susceptible to death than other cats.**

**In my opinion these first few chapters could have come out better, but I've poured over them for a month and there's really nothing more I can add or take away.**

**I have received some complaints about Leafpool being the medicine cat of ThunderClan again. I have no problem with this, as I believe she should be a medicine cat since it's what makes her happy - but I was going by what is canon. It has been stated by one of the Erins that Leafpool returned to her duties after the Great Battle. Since_ Bramblestar's Storm_ isn't out yet, there's no way of confirming or denying this - so I'm sticking to Leafpool going back to her job.**

* * *

**Prologue**

_Wind rustled through the trees, whispering_ against their leaves. Starlight lit up the forest like the moon, and the stars twinkled above, so close to the world that it seemed you would only need to reach out to feel their frosty light; their brightness rivaled the moon. The grass was long, healthy, and teeming with life; every bush rustled with the might and strength of greenleaf.

A shape flitted beneath the cloudless sky – the lean shape of a feline, their pelt glowing like flame in the moonlight. The tom was crouched, his green eyes focused on a waving patch of tall grass. He leaped, and the grass rustled. He emerged with his kill – a fat mouse, fatter than any mouse he had ever seen.

Another shape melted out of the undergrowth, their pelt speckled with stars. If the tom squinted, he could just barely detect the forest through them. The she-cat's blue-gray pelt glowed silver in the moonlight, and she took a step closer.

"How are you liking it here, Firestar?" she asked.

Firestar set down the mouse to free his mouth. "It's amazing!" he exclaimed. "I never thought the mice would be this fat! And greenleaf, forever? It's spectacular, Bluestar – everything I imagined and more."

Bluestar's blue eyes were warm, and she purred, "I'm glad you like it here."

Firestar blinked at her. "I'm here now, I know – but I can't help but admit that there are other places where I would rather spend my days…" he meowed.

Sympathy flooded Bluestar. He had lost so much and been through so many hardships on his journey, and now he was here. "Sandstorm will join us," Bluestar meowed. "So will Graystripe. Not immediately, but soon…"

Firestar shook his head. "I do not want to think about the deaths of my friends," he admitted. "But I wish they were here. It's been great catching up with Ravenpaw and all the others that have passed, but… I _miss_ them, Bluestar. I miss ThunderClan, and everything it meant to be their leader."

"They are in good paws," Bluestar assured him. "Bramblestar was destined to be leader, and like you he will lead ThunderClan with the highest honor. Firestar, there is no need to worry."

"No need to worry?" Firestar questioned. "Bluestar, you know as well as I do that peace doesn't last long. There will always be some greater danger ahead. What if Bramblestar doesn't have the strength to lead ThunderClan through it? It's been nearly two whole seasons since the Dark Forest attacked, and yet I can't shake the feeling that something is just waiting on the horizon…"

Bluestar padded up to her former apprentice. The smell of his mouse was tantalizing, but she had already eaten. She touched her nose to his. "That is why we are here, Firestar," she told him. "We are here to help and guide the cats below; to give them the strength they need. There may not ever be a threat greater than the Dark Forest, but there will always be a need for us."

Firestar sighed. He bent down and devoured his mouse in a few famished, nervous gulps. Bluestar waited for him to finish his meal. When he was washing the scraps from his muzzle and whiskers, Bluestar laid her tail on his shoulders.

"Come with me," she told him.

"Where are we going?" Firestar asked.

"Yellowfang is looking into the pool," Bluestar explained, "to determine the future of the Clans. Come; we shall look with her." Perhaps this would put his mind at ease.

Firestar nodded and followed Bluestar through the thick forest. On the way, they spotted cats from all the Clans – ones that Firestar knew, like Whitestorm and Lionheart, and ones he didn't – hunting, sharing tongues, and sparring with one another. They passed a huge hunting party led by Oakheart of RiverClan and Tallstar of WindClan, a dozen starlit warriors streaming behind them through the greenleaf-rick forest. Firestar felt the wind stir his pelt, and he longed to let it lift him off his paws and into the fray.

He continued following Bluestar. The trees were beginning to thin out, and soon enough they were in a clearing. A glittering pool lay in the center, as big as five cats lying vertically and horizontally, and it was smooth as ice. A large, smooth stone jutted from the shore and reached out towards the center of the pool. Ferns and bushes lined its shores, creating a lush, lovely environment.

Mist floated up from the pool, starlight trapped within the vapors like flies in a spiderweb. Firestar was mystified.

Yellowfang sat atop the smooth stone, her pelt ragged even here in StarClan. Like Bluestar, if one looked hard enough, they could see she was fading slightly. Her flat face was inches from the pool's surface, and her yellow eyes were burning with concentration.

"Greetings, Yellowfang," Bluestar called. "What do you see?"

Yellowfang looked up. Her face sparkled with starlight and condensation. She twitched her whiskers. "Nothing, now that you've interrupted me," she replied.

Firestar twitched his whiskers, grateful that the old she-cat hadn't lost a speck of her temper.

Yellowfang purred and meowed, "What is it you want?"

"Firestar wishes to look upon ThunderClan," Bluestar meowed.

"Just to ease my own worries," Firestar added.

"Missing the old days, are you?" Yellowfang rasped. She stood up and meowed, "Grab a piece of bracken, then, and throw it into the pool."

Firestar searched the shore and found a frond. He bit it off with his teeth and padded around the pool and up the stone, until he stood beside Yellowfang. He tossed it into the pool.

It landed with a silent splash before sinking. Firestar's eyes followed the dark shape as it sank to the bottom, dissolving into starlight. The pool began to glow, and mist wafted from the waters. The smell of ThunderClan, familiar as his own, touched his nose, and he closed his eyes to drink it in.

When he opened them, he was shocked – the pool displayed ThunderClan's camp! Warmth filled Firestar from his toes to his ears as he watched his Clan go about their lives: Squirrelflight padded out of the nursery, a dappled kit by her side. Bramblestar nuzzled her, his eyes sparkling with pride. Jayfeather squeezed in past them with a bundle of herbs in his mouth – Firestar could hear the mewling of a newborn kit in the nursery. A group of warriors – led by Brackenfur – set out on patrol, while Cloudtail arranged a hunting party of Spiderleg, Foxleap, and Rosepetal. Lilyflight and Seedfur were sleeping off their warrior's vigil. Amberkit, Dewkit, and Snowkit were play-fighting outside the nursery, and Cloudtail stopped to give them a greeting before he set out.

Firestar sighed in happiness. ThunderClan was doing well – better than he imagined. The pool shimmered, and suddenly Firestar was looking at the whole of ThunderClan territory, soaring above the trees as if he were a bird. Even though he couldn't see them, he knew that the borders were well defended, and that no cat dared cross them. Pride surged through Firestar like flame.

The pool shimmered again, and suddenly Firestar was back in the camp. Time had clearly passed – the kit that had been at Squirrelflight's side was now an apprentice, padding alongside her mentor Spiderleg. Beside them was another apprentice, her fur still kit-soft. Berrynose stood beside her, proud and tall – Firestar sensed that he had recently been named the apprentice's mentor. Like before, the entire Clan seemed content.

Firestar blinked, and the pool's image changed. He was now looking down at the hollow that sheltered the Moonpool in its stony grip – the shimmering pool, so like the one Firestar was looking in now, was cool and clear, reflecting the sky perfectly.

And then it changed.

A ripple passed across the Moonpool. Its reflection changed, shifting and warping until it reflected nothing at all. The water was flat and gray-white, smooth as ice and reflective as stone. Firestar's heart began to pound.

Dark smoke billowed out from beneath the surface of the Moonpool, smoke that billowed like a cloud until the entire pool was nothing but darkness.

Firestar blinked, and the pool had transported him back to ThunderClan's camp. Instead of being bright and full of life, the camp was desolate and deserted. Firestar's claws dug into the stone he stood on, his eyes wide as possible. Bodies lay in the center of the camp, and those few ThunderClan cats who remained were bedraggled and weak, thin and spent. Berrynose's apprentice lay before the limp, rumpled figure of her mentor, whose cream fur was stretched thin over bone. Her pelt glowed like a light in the darkness of this future.

Voices whispered in his ears, voices he had never heard before and wished to never hear again: _Four will become two; two will become one – the dark fever will claim all those untouched by the stone's light._

A shiver ran down Firestar's spine, so powerful it knocked him backwards with a yowl of horror.

"Firestar!" exclaimed Bluestar.

Firestar opened his eyes to find himself in the lush grass of StarClan. Shivering uncontrollably, he stood up, worried his legs might not hold him.

"I saw the pool go dark," Yellowfang rumbled. Her eyes were narrowed on her flattened face. "What did you see?"

Firestar's eyes were wide. How could he explain it? Yet, somehow, he managed to repeat what he had seen to the she-cats.

Bluestar's fur was bristling in horror. Yellowfang's eyes were wide.

"Is it just ThunderClan?" Bluestar demanded.

Before Firestar could answer, Yellowfang meowed, "I'll gather the others. We'll figure this out, Firestar; and we'll find a way to stop it."

The ragged dark she-cat was gone. Bluestar trembled beside him, her blue-gray fur bristling to its very ends. Firestar stood beside her, shocked and terrified.

What was this dark future for ThunderClan, and what could they possibly do to prevent it?


	3. Chapter 1

**I know that Poinenose's kits died, but I couldn't find their names. It was, however, stated that one of Kinkfur's kits died. Since there was already a Dewpaw in ThunderClan, and since part of this story takes place in ShadowClan, I removed Dewkit in order to avoid confusion.**

**Again, I will admit that these first few chapters do not really portray the characters how I wished, Maplekit especially... but I can't see any way to fix it without rewriting it all and I don't want to do that. So, here you go.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_The ThunderClan camp was bustling with_ activity. Maplekit curled her tail around her paws, watching her Clanmates go about their day with wide, admiring eyes.

Warm newleaf sunshine warmed the camp, caught in the stone hollow. Maplekit had been inside the nursery for most of leaf-bare, and while she enjoyed playing with her denmates in the snow she didn't miss the cold. The sun warmed her tortoiseshell tabby pelt comfortably, with a cool breeze to chase away the lingering heat.

Her green gaze flitted across the camp. She knew the names of every cat in ThunderClan already, from apprentices to elders, and she couldn't wait to walk amongst them as an apprentice, and then a warrior.

_But I have to wait a moon,_ she thought.

She was five moons old, the only kit of Dovewing and Bumblestripe. Maplekit spotted her parents sitting outside he warrior's den, eating fresh-kill and chatting with Ivypool, Dovewing's sister, and Toadstep, Ivypool's mate. Maplekit had heard that Ivypool would be expecting kits soon, and she would be moving into the nursery – but Ivypool was a warrior through and through, and she was doing every task she could until her move was inevitable.

Lionblaze, the proud golden tabby tom, padded out of the warrior's den. He didn't say much as he crossed the camp, but he nodded to every cat he passed, including Maplekit. Maplekit reflected on how huge he was as he padded into the nursery to check on Cinderheart and their three kits.

As fun as it was having playmates, the three tom-kits Sootkit, Rainkit, and Hollykit were a pawful to say the least. They always tended to get into the worst sort of trouble, and they always wanted to sneak out of camp. Maplekit wondered how Cinderheart and Lionblaze could stand it.

A flash of tortoiseshell padding out of the apprentice's den and a familiar scent told Maplekit that Spottedpaw had awoken. The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat had been made an apprentice three sunrises ago, and Maplekit missed her in the nursery – they had been so close! How could they be close now that Spottedpaw was an apprentice?

Amberpaw, Dewpaw, and Snowpaw followed her out of the den. Spottedpaw and Snowpaw made for the fresh-kill pile, while Dewpaw and Amberpaw went to pester their mentors. Maplekit watched enviously as Amberpaw joined Brackenfur, Cloudtail, Brightheart, Millie, and Icecloud on a patrol. Dewpaw went with them, trailing after Millie.

_Someday that will be me,_ Maplekit told herself.

"Hey, Maplekit!"

Maplekit pricked her ears. Spottedpaw was calling her!

She bounded over to her former denmate with enthusiasm – so much so that she forgot to watch where she was going. When she reached the fresh-kill pile, she stubbed her paw on a stiff squirrel and tripped, landing sprawled on her side.

Maplekit picked herself up, shaking out her fur, and looked up at Spottedpaw, hot with embarrassment. Spottedpaw's eyes were wide, and Snowpaw's whiskers were twitching.

"Maplekit, are you OK?" Snowpaw asked.

"I-I'm fine, thanks," Maplekit insisted. She glanced at Spottedpaw. "What's up?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to share some fresh-kill," Spottedpaw told her. Her ears were twitching at the awkward situation. "Since I'm on den-cleaning duty today, I figured we could spend some time together."

"O-Of course!" Maplekit insisted. "I could help you, too; if you want!"

Spottedpaw blinked. "That's not necessary," she said. "Just come and share a mouse with me. We can work on your hunting crouch."

"StarClan knows she needs it," Snowpaw grumbled, "if what I've seen is true."

Spottedpaw stepped on one of his paws. Snowpaw yelped, and then grumbled as Spottedpaw's glare sent him away.

Maplekit felt a rush of pride – Spottedpaw, her best friend in all of ThunderClan, was none other than Squirrelflight and Bramblestar's daughter. The kit of the Clan leader and the Clan deputy, as her best friend! It was enough to make her tail curl with joy that a glare from Spottedpaw could send Snowpaw, an older apprentice, packing!

"Oh, just ignore him," Spottedpaw mewed. She settled down, placing the mouse between them. Maplekitsat across from her. "Snowpaw's got Cloudtail's attitude, that's for sure!"

Maplekit purred, but it died in her throat soon after. "I… am I really that bad?" she wondered quietly.

Spottedpaw blinked at her friend. "Maplekit," Spottedpaw offered, "you're doing just fine. You're still just a kit…"

"But Cinderheart's kits are a moon younger than me, and they're all really good at the hunter's crouch," Maplekit pointed out. "Hollykit's practically perfected his! I'm still all wobbly and stuff…"

"We'll work on it," Spottedpaw promised.

She took a large bite of mouse, and then pushed the remains to Maplekit. She took a small bite, savoring the flavors of the meal. She imagined herself, strong and proud, her pelt glowing in the sunshine, stalking a mouse to bring back for her Clan.

As strong and confident as she looked in her mind, Maplekit knew she wasn't that way in real life. She could fill her jaws full of prey in her dreams, but in reality she would only trip over the pile of prey that other warriors caught. Sure, she would catch one or two mice, maybe a bird or a rabbit… but her contribution to the pile would be nothing compared to the other warriors. She would just fade into the background, unnoticed and completely useless.

"Maplekit?" Spottedpaw wondered. "What's wrong?"

Maplekit sniffled. "I'll be a terrible apprentice!" she mumbled, resisting the urge to wail. "I'm five moons old and I can't even get the hunting crouch right."

"I told you we'd work on it!" Spottedpaw gasped. "You'll have a mentor to make sure all your skills are just as good as any warrior's!"

"What if I'm too much of a failure?" Maplekit asked. "What if my mentor doesn't think I'm worth teaching?"

"That's not true!" Spottedpaw insisted. "So you're a little clumsy on your paws… every cat has something they need to work through. No warrior is born perfect!"

Maplekit was silent. She felt Spottedpaw's praise warm her on the surface, but deep inside she was still conscious of her lack of confidence. She looked past her friend and towards the warrior's den. Dovewing and Bumblestripe were sharing tongues. From the twitching of her mother's ears, Maplekit knew that her mother was keeping tabs on not only her, but the entire forest. As she watched, Dovewing stood up and mewed something to her mate, padding towards Highledge.

_Mama has such special powers,_ Maplekit thought. _How can she – or any cat – be proud of someone who was born without powers like her?_

A yowl echoed through the camp. Maplekit and Spottedpaw looked up from their shared meal to find that some cat was coming through the thorn barrier. The bracken and brambles twitched as Brackenfur and Amberpaw padded through. Behind them was a very young she-cat with long, pale gray fur. An unfamiliar scent wafted from her, pungent and sour.

Squirrelflight and Bramblestar came from Highledge, Dovewing just behind them. The fur on Squirrelflight's shoulders bristled, and she hissed, "ShadowClan!"


	4. Chapter 2

**Also, because I failed to mention it before… Briarlight is listed as an elder because she cannot do the duties of a warrior. It's a little mean, but in all reality she is pretty much an elder now.**

**I'm working on the sequel to _Celestial Eclipse_, so don't worry! It will probably be up sometime either later this month or early next month. I want to get a proper amount of buffer chapters written so that I can have time to work on other things.**

**Edited out a mistake - I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that Littlecloud is younger than Graystripe, but some part of me thought otherwise. Sorry, and thanks for all your comments!**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"_ShadowClan!" Squirrelflight demanded. "What are you_ doing here?"

The Clan was silent, waiting for the small she-cat's reply. Maplekit looked at her, wondering if she was afraid. With the way that Brackenfur and Amberpaw stood by her, Maplekit guessed she wasn't part of a battle patrol.

"Who is that?" Maplekit asked.

"I don't know," Spottedpaw replied. She stood up and mewed, "If anything happens, get behind me."

Maplekit's heart pounded as she saw that, though Spottedpaw's fur was flat, her friend's claws were unsheathed. Suddenly any appetite that Maplekit had was utterly gone. As the cats gathered around, crowding the small ShadowClan cat, Maplekit feared that something terrible might happen. Her paws went numb – she wasn't ready for a fight!

"Mistpaw!"

The mew broke through the thin hostility of the cats in the camp. Maplekit looked to the medicine cat's den. Leafpool was padding out, her tail high. Jayfeather, her son and apprentice, followed behind at a distance, his tail neutral and an irritated expression on his blank, blind face.

_Mistpaw?_ Maplekit wondered. _Leafpool knows a ShadowClan apprentice?_

At the mention of the name, the bristling fur flattened. Whoever Mistpaw was, she wasn't a cat to be feared. Maplekit watched as Leafpool touched noses with the small she-cat, before cats crowded in and Maplekit's vision was partially blotted out by the older warriors. Maplekit's stomach settled and she ducked down enough so that she could see Mistpaw.

"What's going on?" Leafpool asked. Her white paws worked the ground. "Where's Littlecloud?"

"Littlecloud?" Maplekit repeated, confused.

"He's ShadowClan's medicine cat," Spottedpaw mewed. Her spine was unbent and her claws were sheathed. "Mistpaw must be his new apprentice."

"He asked me to come," Mistpaw explained. Her voice was shaky, as if she wasn't used to talking in front of such important cats. "I ran into your dawn patrol and Brackenfur offered to take me here."

"Well, then," Leafpool wondered, "what is it you need?"

"I need you," Mistpaw replied. There was a tremor in her voice, and Maplekit wondered if she could smell fear over the apprentice's rank ShadowClan scent.

The Clan murmured in shock, but Leafpool and Jayfeather stayed calm with only a glance between them. Squirrelflight and Bramblestar sat down beside them.

"What's happened?" Bramblestar wondered. His powerful frame and dark pelt rippled in the newleaf light. Beside him, the sun turned Squirrelflight's fur to flame.

"Littlecloud is sick," Mistpaw told them, her pale eyes wide. "When… when I had no idea how to treat him, he told me to come and ask for you. I know I'm his apprentice, but I don't know what to do, and…"

"It's all right," Leafpool meowed calmly, her amber eyes soft. She looked to Bramblestar. "Is it all right if I go?"

Bramblestar nodded. "Be back as soon as possible," he meowed. "A medicine cat's health affects us all, and we know Littlecloud trusts you."

Hope lit Mistpaw's eyes.

Maplekit cocked her head. "Is Littlecloud dying?" she wondered.

"He was ill at the last Gathering," reported Icecloud, who stood beside her. The white she-cat's pelt shone brilliantly in the light. "He's one of the oldest cats in any Clan."

"It'll be sad to see him go," commented Bumblestripe. He padded up behind his daughter and sat there. "If this is to be his last newleaf, that is."

"So, he's older than Graystripe?" Maplekit meowed.

Bumblestripe shook his head.

Maplekit blinked. Graystripe was an elder, and in no risk of dying. So why was Littlecloud suddenly so sick?

"Littlecloud was forced into his apprenticeship at a young age," Dovewing meowed. Maplekit felt the softness of her mother's fur as she sat down beside her kit. "He's lived a long life, but he's been very sick lately and sickness can make a cat seem much older than they really are."

"ShadowClan has a bloody, sad history," Sandstorm mewed, turning her head to look at Maplekit. Her whiskers were white and her back was splotched with spots that showed her age and weariness. She had been the best hunter in the Clan; but time had seemed to catch up to her quickly, and she left the hunting for other cats. "Come to the den sometime, and we'll tell you."

Maplekit wasn't sure she wanted to know about anything bloody or sad. She frowned at the thought.

"Come back to ShadowClan with me, Mistpaw." Leafpool's meow made Maplekit crouch down again to look at Mistpaw. "We'll get some supplies and go back to your camp."

"Can we hurry?" Mistpaw begged worriedly.

"Of course," Leafpool agreed. Maplekit saw the tabby's legs move. "Jayfeather, you'll be fine without me, I presume?"

"Unless every cat in the Clan comes to me complaining about a sneeze, I think I'll manage," Jayfeather meowed back tartly.

"Hey!" Foxleap called from within the crowd. His red pelt was easy to spot. "It wasn't just a sneeze! I was coughing, too!"

He was largely ignored as Leafpool and Mistpaw worked their way through the crowd. Maplekit tried to follow them, but too many cats blocked her view. She tried slipping beneath them, to possibly see what Leafpool would do, but she felt teeth in her tail and looked back.

"Oh no you don't," Dovewing teased, letting her go. "That's medicine cat business."

"I… I wasn't planning on intruding!" Maplekit insisted. Her tail smarted now, and Maplekit gave it a lick.

"Leafpool doesn't need a kit spying on her," Dovewing went on. She glanced at Bumblestripe, then back at Maplekit. "Get back to the nursery. Bumblestripe wants to help you with your hunting crouch."

Maplekit flattened her ears. "I don't need help!" she insisted.

"Maplekit," Dovewing soothed. "Listen to me and go back to the nursery. Don't you want to practice some more? You don't need to be underpaw when other cats are busy."

_Me? Underpaw?_ Maplekit thought. Her ears pressed against her head. Some cats stopped to look at her, and suddenly all Maplekit could feel or think about was them thinking she was nothing but a nuisance – a useless nuisance. She turned tail and fled for the nursery, her heart clenching in her chest.

"Maplekit!" Dovewing called. "I didn't mean it like that!"

Maplekit didn't hear her – she was too busy running for the nursery. Her paws moved so fast that she didn't realize it when she stumbled over herself and tripped, landing face-first into the thorny wall of the nursery.

* * *

"Oh, you're a clumsy one, aren't you?"

Maplekit opened her eyes to gloom. Musty smells swirled around her, the smells of things old and things that didn't seem to grow quite right anymore. When her eyes came into focus, she could just barely discern the wrinkled, drooping shapes of dark-wooded trees against the dankness. Nary a star was in the sky, and the grass felt somewhat… dirty.

"Get up, kit," the voice told her, with a soothing mew.

Maplekit blinked. The last thing she recalled seeing was the thorn walls of the nursery rushing to meet her. She stood up with a start. Her face felt fine – her entire being felt fine, in fact. There wasn't a scratch on her that she could see.

So what was she doing here?

"Ah, you're up," the voice purred. It was sweet and soft. "You need to start learning how to watch your step."

Maplekit turned towards the voice.

It was a she-cat – pretty, long-bodied, and lean; with sleek fur that concealed hard muscle. Her face was slightly scarred, but it did not mar her looks. In fact, it made her look more distinguished. Her tortoiseshell pelt was mostly ginger and white, with only faint splashes of dark brown or black, and her amber eyes were warm, like a sun in the gloom.

"Who… who are you?" Maplekit asked. "And… where am I?"

The ginger-and-white cat flicked an ear. "I am Mapleshine, little kit," she meowed.

_Mapleshine?_ Maplekit thought. She'd never heard that name before. Somehow knowing her name made this place seem a lot less creepy. She looked at the mist covering her paws and clinging to the low-hanging trees. Fungus grew along the trunks, glowing and casting a green light over the wood. "Am… am I in StarClan?"

"You're just fine, little kit," Mapleshine insisted with a purr. "You just took a tumble into the nursery wall. You only have a few scratches. You're in the medicine cat's den now, getting treatment. They gave you a poppy seed."

"I tripped…" Maplekit murmured, recalling. She hung her head low. "I'm a failure! I can't even run without tripping over myself! How am I supposed to be an apprentice, or even a warrior, if I can't even keep myself from tripping?"

"Some cats are just naturally clumsy, little kit," Mapleshine meowed. Her voice was smooth as honey. She stroked Maplekit with her tail. "In fact, _all_ kits are born clumsy."

"I think I was born clumsier," Maplekit mewed. _She _must_ be from StarClan!_ She thought. No strange cat would ever be so kind! Mapleshine had such a lovely, strong look about her. Maplekit wasn't sure what StarClan cats were meant to look like, but she had a feeling in her gut that Mapleshine was one. "I should have been named Clumsykit."

Mapleshine's eyes lit up with amusement. "Now I know that name doesn't suit you. What is your name, little kit?" she asked.

Maplekit scuffed a paw against the ground. "I'm Maplekit," she replied.

Mapleshine gave her a sweet smile. Her eyes glowed. "Maplekit is a fine name," she meowed, "and I promise, you'll live up to it."

"I… I will?" Maplekit asked.

"With my help, little Maplekit," Mapleshine promised sweetly, "you can do anything, I promise. I never, ever, break my promises…"


	5. Chapter 3

**Here is the alternate PoV!**

**Chapter 3**

_Hawkkit crouched, his tail low and _twitching. Sunshine rippled across his dark brown tabby pelt, his amber eyes focused. He took a single step before he leaped, pinning down his prey with a satisfied purr.

The moss ball disintegrated beneath his claws, and Hawkkit took a step back, slightly disappointed. He sat down and sighed, his tail-tip flicking back and forth. Wind rustled through the bramble barriers that surrounded the camp, carrying the scent of things that were actually worth hunting.

"Wishing for real prey?"

Hawkkit looked up to find a dark brown tabby tom with broad, powerful shoulders and a youthful energy in his amber eyes. Hawkkit smiled at him and admitted, "Yeah."

The tabby warrior sat down and wrapped his tail around Hawkkit, purring. "You'll be an apprentice soon enough," he said. "Then all the prey in ShadowClan territory is yours to hunt."

Hawkkit rolled his eyes. "Yeah," he meowed, "but I still have to wait a whole _moon_… the nursery is boring, Tigerheart – can't I sleep with you in the warrior's den?"

Tigerheart chuckled, "Of course not!"

Hawkkit frowned, unhappy. His littermates – or, at least the kits he had been raised with – had been made apprentices days ago. Hawkkit was all alone in the nursery, and he missed the warm bodies of his friends. Pinenose's kits weren't due for another moon and a half, and Applefur's litter was too young to play with. It was so boring!

"I'd _rather_ sleep with you," Hawkkit grumbled. He looked at the camp, with all the warriors padding about and chatting and eating together. The apprentices were in a tight group, with tails twitching and whiskers waving. "No one in this Clan likes me but you."

Tigerheart gave him a hearty nudge. "That's not true," he meowed. "The Clan likes you, Hawkkit."

"Who knows if Rowanstar will even make me an apprentice," Hawkkit droned on, sheathing and unsheathing his claws. "I'll probably be a kit forever!"

Tigerheart licked him between the ears. Hawkkit looked up at the warrior as he meowed, "That's not true, either. You'll make an outstanding warrior, Hawkkit. Whatever you were before I found you, you're not anymore."

Hawkkit flicked an ear. Tigerheart had always been as sort of father to Hawkkit, seeing as he had none. Hawkkit didn't remember much about the time he had been brought to ShadowClan by the dark tabby warrior – his eyes and ears weren't even open at the time – but he faintly recalled his scent and the feel of his fur keeping him dry from the rain.

Still, it didn't change that he was still a stranger to ShadowClan. Even if Tigerheart had been open and honest with Hawkkit and the Clan about his origins, some ShadowClan cats looked suspiciously at the young tomkit, as if he belonged somewhere else. Those looks were lessening, of course, but Hawkkit had been keeping track of who made them. He would prove them all wrong.

_ShadowClan will have to accept me one way or another…_

"So, I hear Littlecloud is sick?" Hawkkit asked. He liked the elderly medicine cat – he faintly recalled the old tabby caring for him when he had a cold.

Tigerheart nodded. "The whole Clan is worried," he admitted.

"What's Mistpaw going to do?" Hawkkit wondered. "She's only been his apprentice for a little while… I mean, she can't know _everything_ already?"

Tigerheart opened his mouth, but his answer came in the form of Mistpaw herself padding through the camp entrance. The entire Clan looked on as a strange scent drifted into camp, one that made Hawkkit's nose wrinkle – ThunderClan.

Behind Mistpaw slipped a lean-bodied light brown tabby she-cat, her chest and paws white and her eyes amber and wise. A bundle of leaves were in her jaws, and she only gave the slightest of nods to the gathering ShadowClan warriors.

"Who's that?" Hawkkit asked.

"Leafpool," Tigerheart meowed. "ThunderClan's medicine cat."

Hawkkit wrinkled his nose more. He knew ThunderClan scent well – ShadowClan's camp was so close to their border marker that on a windy day the smell would drift into camp. It was gross – how could they stand smelling like they did?

The Clan gathered around Leafpool and Mistpaw, their eyes flickering suspiciously. Yet no cat made a move.

"Leafpool!" called a commanding voice. "We're glad you could make it."

All eyes turned to the hazel tree. Its branches sheltered the ShadowClan camp from the rain and harsh weather, and Rowanstar, the leader of ShadowClan, was padding out of the hollow trunk, his mate and deputy Tawnypelt by his side.

Rowanstar glanced at Tawnypelt. "Take them to Littlecloud's den, and assign a warrior to do whatever it is that they need."

"Of course," Tawnypelt meowed. The tortoiseshell she-cat blinked at the warriors and meowed, "Olivenose – Leafpool can have you and Nightpaw."

Olivenose muttered something under her breath. Hawkkit could tell she wasn't pleased. Nightpaw, her apprentice, didn't look very pleased either, but the two of them headed for the medicine cat's den regardless.

Tawnypelt approached Leafpool and brushed muzzles with her, tail high. Hawkkit shifted on his paws, watching as most of the older ShadowClan warriors rolled their eyes and muttered under their breath. Hawkkit sighed.

_Tawnypelt isn't from ShadowClan, either,_ Hawkkit thought, watching the tortoiseshell she-cat escort the medicine cats. _She became deputy! I want to be just like her…_

"I hope Littlecloud gets better," Tigerheart breathed. "Either that, or maybe Leafpool can ease his way to StarClan. He deserves that much."

Rowanstar raised his voice over the clamor. "I want no disruptions in the medicine cat's den today – let them all work in peace. Get back to your duties!" he ordered.

Hawkkit sighed. As quickly as the commotion started, it stopped. Warriors dispersed, some calling their apprentices for patrols or training. Hawkkit longed to join them more than anything.

"Can't I go hunting with you?" Hawkkit pleaded to Tigerheart. "Just _once?"_

Tigerheart twitched his whiskers. "Rowanstar wouldn't like that very much. Kits stay in camp, Hawkkit – be patient. You won't be a kit much longer. Why don't you take Applefur's kits to see Snaketail?"

"Snaketail is boring," Hawkkit complained.

"That's not nice," Tigerheart meowed sternly. "Your elders were brave warriors, and they know things that no other cat knows. Snaketail survived the Great Battle, after all."

"I've heard about the Great Battle," Hawkkit reminded him. He'd heard about it again and again and again and again… he was sick of it.

"Applefur's kits haven't," Tigerheart pointed out.

Hawkkit frowned. "You really think the Great Battle is a story fit for two-and-a-half-moon old kits?" he wondered skeptically. Applefur's kits barely understood a word that was spoken to them – how were they meant to understand what the Great Battle was?

Tigerheart narrowed his eyes at Hawkkit. "I think it's a story fit for _any_ kit," he growled. "We learn from our pasts so we don't forget the mistakes we made. We don't want to repeat those mistakes in the future."

The dark tabby warrior stood up and padded away, leaving Hawkkit to sigh. He wrapped his tail around his paws and thought, _What is there to repeat? The Dark Forest was defeated seasons ago… how can they still be a threat worth worrying about now?_


	6. Chapter 4

**The sequel to Celestial Winter should be up sometime this next week. I'm sorry for putting it off for so long but I've been working on both of them this whole time, not to mention another story idea I had - a story about Mapleshade! I don't know if I'm going to post it until I've got a lot more of it written... but my focus has been very divided lately.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_Sunlight streamed onto Hawkkit's pelt, dappling_ it with shadows. He prowled through the sparse grasses of the wood, tall trunks rising up to touch the sky. The soft, needle-strewn ground felt spongy and soft beneath Hawkkit's paws. The air was clean and clear, and he could smell prey _everywhere._

He stretched his muscles, on his toes with excitement. His claws slid out, and he opened his jaws.

The most powerful scent was mouse.

Hawkkit glanced at the clump of brambles it came from, and he dropped into his best hunting crouch. He slid his paws along the ground, using a trick he had heard Softpaw talking about with Milkpaw and Nightpaw a sunrise ago. Muffling his pawsteps with the pine needles on the ground, watching and making sure each step was careful.

The brambles swayed, and then were still. Hawkkit could still smell the mouse. He leaped, knowing that if he lingered for too long the mouse would escape. He saw the small brown body before it was caught between his claws. Hawkkit finished it off with a blow to its neck and pulled his catch out of the brambles, pride prickling his pelt.

_Wait till Tigerheart sees this!_ He thought. _And Rowanstar, and all those cats who doubt me just because I wasn't born in ShadowClan! They'll be so proud!_

A twig snapped nearby.

Hawkkit dropped his mouse and looked around, the fur on his shoulders bristling. What was it – a fox? A badger? _There aren't any badgers around here anymore, silly._ He told himself. He breathed in the scents of the woods once more – the smell of his fresh-kill was the strongest, but there was another scent…

It was ShadowClan, but it wasn't of any cat he recognized immediately. Hawkkit licked his lips and tried scenting again, wondering if the mouse-scent was confusing him. But the smell remained, faint but definitely ShadowClan. Hawkkit was unsure how to react - he stood still, looking around him for the strange cat.

"Hello?" he asked. They were ShadowClan – surely they weren't an enemy?

The wind whispered in reply.

Hawkkit snorted irritably. He didn't like playing hide-and-seek with Applefur's kits – it was so childish! - he certainly didn't want to play it with a warrior.

But there was no one.

He scented the air again, finding that the ShadowClan scent had vanished. Shrugging, he picked up his mouse and trotted back to camp. He prepared himself for the flood of praise as he pushed through the bramble-and-gorse entrance and faced the Clan with his catch proudly displayed in his –

"Hawkkit, are you _still_ asleep?"

Hawkkit opened his eyes. There was no mouse in his jaws, no blood on his paws. He couldn't smell the pines and the cedar, or the mice and squirrels hidden in the undergrowth. He could only smell the nursery and the milk of the queens. Instead of pine needles beneath his paws, there was his nest of bracken and feathers.

"I _told_ you we could wake him up!" cheered Fuzzykit. The only she-cat of her litter, the light brown tabby was energetic and quite the pawful for Applefur. Mottlekit, a dark brown tabby, and Patchkit, a tabby tom with white patches, looked up from their nest.

"I was having a good dream," Hawkkit complained. He narrowed his eyes at Fuzzykit. "Why did you wake me up?"

"Its past sunhigh and you _promised_ you'd help clean out the nests in the nursery!" Fuzzykit replied, fluffing out her fur. Hawkkit's hard stare did nothing to faze her. "So come on! The nests aren't getting any cleaner!"

"Fuzzykit, stop that!" hissed Applefur. The mottled she-cat sat up in her nest. Hawkkit craned his neck to see that it was rather dirty. Applefur leaned out and scooped Fuzzykit back beside her brothers with one paw. She looked sympathetically at Hawkkit and mewed, "I'm sorry – kits, you know…"

Hawkkit rolled his shoulders. He could be mad at Fuzzykit, but he held quite a bit of affection for the queens. They were the only cats who didn't look at him like he was a stranger. He had nursed alongside Ivytail's kits and, when Ivytail's kits were too old to nurse, she and Applefur were the cats to help him transition to eating fresh-kill.

"Do you mind helping with the cleaning?" Ivytail asked, a purr in her tone. Hawkkit looked up at his surrogate mother – though they didn't share a nest, Ivytail still treated him as one of her own. She was not cut out for the life of a warrior – not anymore. The Great Battle had changed her, and she now dedicated her life to raising kits for the Clan. "All the apprentices were taken out by Tawnypelt and some warriors for a group session."

"Not at all," Hawkkit meowed.

"Maybe you can watch these three for a bit while I go to the lake later?" Applefur asked suggestively. Her eyes sparkled, and Hawkkit groaned inwardly. "Pinenose is getting so big she's feeling a little cramped, and a pregnant queen shouldn't wander alone. Besides – I need a break, too."

"Oh, can we go?" Patchkit asked, his eyes bright as berries.

"No," Applefur told him firmly. All three kits looked downhearted. "You're far too young. Maybe when you're older we can take a walk outside camp – right now you stay _in_ camp."

The three kits groaned.

"All right," Ivytail meowed. "All three of you – grab as much bedding as you can!"

Mottlekit didn't look happy, but when Patchkit and Fuzzykit dove into the nest and came out with surprisingly large piles of bedding in their mouths, the quieter tom just had to join in.

* * *

By the time they were done, the sun was beginning to sink into the sky. Hawkkit's muscles were sore and he feared he would never get the taste of rotten bracken out of his mouth, no matter how many mice he ate. Applefur had taken Pinenose out of camp, leaving Hawkkit to watch the kits play in the clearing while Ivytail spruced up the bedding in the nursery and did her best to reform all the nests.

Hawkkit kept a close eye on the kits – though they played with sheathed paws, he knew that sometimes excitement made the claws slide out. Patchkit was prone to accidental scratches, and Hawkkit made sure his mouth wasn't always full of mouse in case he needed to call out to them.

Done with his fresh-kill, Hawkkit settled down to wash himself, wanting every bit of dirty bedding out of his fur. He kept a close eye on the kits as they played tirelessly, batting at one another and reenacting battles that probably would never take place.

"Take _that,_ Mistystar!" Mottlekit roared. He leaped onto Fuzzykit and the two tumbled across the clearing.

"Never!" Fuzzykit exclaimed. She batted his ears and Mottlekit backed off, bristling like a puffball.

"Surprise attack!" cried Patchkit. He leaped onto Mottlekit.

Shocked, Mottlekit meowed, "We're on the same side, Patchkit!"

Hawkkit looked up. There was a commotion at the entrance – the apprentices streamed into camp, fresh-kill in every jaw. The three kits tumbling across the clearing stopped their game to look up with eyes sparkling with awe. Tired-looking warriors padded into camp led by Tawnypelt, who walked beside Softpaw, her apprentice.

"You all did well today," she called. "Put your prey on the pile and then take something for yourselves. You've earned it!"

Hawkkit watched as the tired apprentices each selected a piece of prey from the well-stocked pile. Rowanstar padded out from the medicine cat's den and looked at it approvingly.

"That was a good idea you had," he admitted, looking at Tawnypelt. "We should do it more often."

"ThunderClan isn't the only Clan with special hunting techniques," Tawnypelt remarked.

The two brushed muzzles.

"How is Littlecloud?" Tawnypelt asked.

Hawkkit leaned forward to listen. If Littlecloud died, then how would Mistpaw be a medicine cat? She didn't have that much training at all! How would ShadowClan cope?

"Leafpool agreed to stick around until he improves," Rowanstar meowed, "one way or the other. There's a cold going around, too – Smokefoot was in the den complaining of a runny nose. He was treated, but keep an eye out. I don't want a chill circulating through the camp."

Tawnypelt nodded.

"Spying?"

Hawkkit nearly jumped out of his fur at the sound of Softpaw's voice. The cream-and-tortoiseshell she-cat was sitting just behind him, her tail curled and a lizard at her paws. Hawkkit bristled – no wonder her name was _Soft_paw! He hadn't heard her coming at all!

Softpaw's eyes sparkled. "Don't worry," she meowed in her soft voice. "I won't tell on you." She pushed the lizard towards him. "Share?"

Hawkkit shook his head and nodded towards the remains of his fresh-kill. "I ate already," he told her.

Softpaw shrugged and bent to take a bite. She chewed, swallowed, and then meowed, "Are you worried about Littlecloud?"

Hawkkit nodded. "Who isn't?" he reasoned.

"I think it's in the backs of all our minds," Softpaw murmured, looking at the cats around her. "I think everyone is worried, whether they say it or not. Littlecloud was a huge part of all our lives… just like Blackstar and all the other cats that were lost during the Great Battle. Losing them all has made us feel small and weak."

"But we're not weak!" Hawkkit insisted.

Softpaw smiled at him. "Of course we're not," she meowed. "ShadowClan will never be weak."

"Do… do you think that if Littlecloud dies, someone will attack us?" Hawkkit asked. "We'll be weaker without him…"

"I doubt that," Softpaw insisted. "Littlecloud wasn't important only to us – all the Clans owe him in some way. His loss will not provoke any attacks, I think. When Littlecloud dies, it will probably be the last time that the Clans share their grief, as if there weren't any boundaries."

Hawkkit blinked. Something about her words made him sad. Would it really be the last time? Was there nothing else that could make them feel as if they weren't separate Clans, fighting one another for survival?

He shook his head. _We're warriors,_ he thought. _Loyalty to our Clan makes us strong, and those Clans need to be divided._

_Nothing will ever change that._


	7. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"_I can't believe that Foxleap is_ back in the medicine den," Icecloud complained. Maplekit blinked up at the pretty white she-cat. She was pacing back and forth before the ferns, her blue eyes full of irritation at her littermate.

"Is he sick again?" Maplekit asked. Foxleap had complained of a cold, and Maplekit was sure every cat had noticed his runny nose and coughing – but that had been a moon ago. Jayfeather and Leafpool had cured him, right?

Icecloud nodded and complained, "We were supposed to do the evening patrol but _someone_ decided to complain about his belly…"

Even though she was upset, Maplekit knew she was concerned. _I'd worry too, if I had a sick littermate._ She supposed that if Spottedpaw got sick, she would worry – Spottedpaw was the closest thing she had to a littermate.

Icecloud's fur fluffed and she sighed. Millie padded over to her, her blue eyes troubled. "Are we leaving him?" the silver tabby asked.

"I guess," Icecloud sighed again. She lashed her tail and stood up. "Let's head out."

Millie nodded, and then turned to the patrol gathered at the entrance. Maplekit saw Dewpaw waiting with Thornclaw, who seemed antsy and irritated at being sent on patrol when his first litter of kits was just three days old. Daisy was taking good care of all four of them, and they were soft and lovely – three she-cats and one tom.

Blossomfall didn't look happy to be part of the patrol – she sat a fair distance away from Thornclaw, and she avoided her mother's gaze. Maplekit had heard from Bumblestripe that Blossomfall and Millie hadn't gotten along for some time… not to mention that Blossomfall had, according to Dovewing, had a crush on Thornclaw. To see him turn her down in favor of Daisy probably didn't feel good.

"Sorry Maplekit," Icecloud called. The white she-cat threw Maplekit a sympathetic look. "We'll be missing your apprentice ceremony."

"It's all right," Maplekit mewed. "You have to patrol."

"There are enough warriors here to cheer for you," Icecloud told her. "We'll be with you in spirit."

Maplekit purred. Icecloud cast one last look towards the medicine cat's den before joining Millie for the evening patrol. Blossomfall joined up with Icecloud as they left, the setting sun turning their pelts orange. Maplekit watched them pad out through the thorn tunnel, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

_I'll be patrolling myself, soon,_ she told herself.

She flexed her claws. Mapleshine had spent the last moon perfecting Maplekit's hunting crouch; so much so that every cat seemed to notice a significant improvement in the clumsy would-be apprentice. Her confidence was still low, and Maplekit refused to play games that involved using her hunting crouch, claiming that she would be an apprentice soon and playing with kits would be something she wouldn't do. It made her heart race to think if someone found it strange she was suddenly improving.

Yet no cat seemed to notice. "It's about time," Bumblestripe had said. Dovewing had been nodding in agreement.

With a lick on Maplekit's forehead, Dovewing had stated, "Sometimes it just takes a while."

Thankfully, Maplekit had not been injured by her frantic run-in with the nursery wall. She had only come out with a thorn caught in her fur and, even though Jayfeather and Leafpool checked her over, there was no other sign of injury. Maplekit had had a headache for the rest of that day, but Mapleshine's encouraging words were playing over and over in her mind.

_I will help you be the best warrior you can be,_ Mapleshine's voice told her. _I will help you be something more than just another face in the crowd._

The thought thrilled and terrified her. Was Mapleshine helping her because StarClan had a special destiny planned for her? Was she to become this amazing warrior, capable of fighting off any opponent? Was she to lead her Clan to glory?

Maplekit shook her head, looking at her paws. _No,_ she told herself. _The only special thing about me is that Dovewing is my mother. There's nothing else._

"Are you ready?"

Maplekit blinked, looking up. Dovewing was there, her eyes sparkling with pride. "For what?" Maplekit asked.

"Bramblestar is about to call the meeting," Dovewing told her.

"H-He is?" Maplekit gasped. So soon?

Dovewing nodded. She padded up to her kit and began to groom her, flattening her fur. Maplekit allowed Dovewing to do so, knowing that whether she could groom herself or not from the moment she received her apprentice name she would no longer be, in a sense, Dovewing's kit. No more doting, no more afternoons spent with the other kits in the nursery, no more anything – she would be an apprentice at the beck, call, and mercy of her mentor.

"You'll always be my precious daughter," Dovewing told her fondly. "I love you, Maplekit."

"I love you too, Mama," Maplekit mewed back.

Dovewing pulled away, looking at her kit. She used her paw to smooth down some fur between Maplekit's ears before saying, "No remember – head high, tail straight. Look happy! You're being made an apprentice today."

Maplekit trembled, but she purred.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

The summons ran through the camp, bouncing off of the stone walls until it rang in Maplekit's ears. Still trembling, Maplekit watched as the Clan gathered beneath Highledge, where Bramblestar made an imposing shape. Squirrelflight and Leafpool stood on either side of him, dwarfed by his massive form, while Jayfeather sat beneath the shadow of the ledge, his blue eyes gleaming.

Cinderheart brought out her kits, but the three of them didn't seem to know what the meeting was all about. Ivypool – finally forced to move into the nursery by Leafpool and Jayfeather – settled down beside Toadstep, her belly bulging. Poppyfrost, expecting Berrynose's second litter, sat beside the entrance of the nursery so she could keep in touch with Daisy, who was bedridden with her four newborns.

Maplekit tried to catch Spottedpaw's eye, but she was too busy chatting with Amberpaw. Snowpaw was sitting beside them, his pelt glowing white in the failing light.

When all the cats – minus a hunting patrol and Icecloud's border patrol – had gathered, Bramblestar began to speak again.

"We gather here tonight for an important occasion," Bramblestar began, "Maplekit has reached her sixth moon, and is finally able to receive her apprentice name."

"_Maplekit_ gets to be an apprentice?" Hollykit burst. "But why can't _we?"_

Half the Clan stared at the loud tom. Lionblaze narrowed his eyes and growled, "Hush, Hollykit – you and your littermates will have to wait until you're six moons, just like everyone else."

"If you can't be quiet, I'll take you back to the nursery!" Cinderheart threatened.

Maplekit trembled more. Even Hollykit thought she shouldn't be an apprentice! What did the rest of the Clan think?

"Hollykit! That loudmouth," Dovewing chided. "Don't worry about him, Maplekit – you're going to be a fine apprentice."

Bramblestar's whiskers were twitching at the top of Highledge. "Maplekit," he called, "come forward."

_That's me!_ She thought.

"Remember, be happy!" Dovewing told her softly, giving her a nudge to stand. "Smile, and hold your head and tail high."

Maplekit obeyed, padding through the crowd with Dovewing a pace behind her. The cats parted, until she came to a small clearing just before the shadow of Highledge. Maplekit sat there, conscious of every cat's eyes on her.

_You can do this,_ she told herself, breathing in and out. _You can do this…_

"From this moment forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this kit will be known as Maplepaw," Bramblestar announced.

_Maplepaw!_ She said to herself. _My new name…_

"Berrynose!"

_Berrynose?_ Maplepaw blinked. Berrynose was known for his cocky attitude and overconfidence. The young cream-colored tom padded up to stand beside Maplepaw. Why Berrynose?

"Berrynose, you were my first apprentice," Bramblestar meowed. "Maplepaw will be yours. Teach her everything she needs to know to be a confident warrior."

"I will," Berrynose promised.

He bent his head. Maplepaw touched noses with him, letting Bramblestar's words wash over her. _A confident warrior… he wants Berrynose to teach me confidence! But Mapleshine said she'd do that, too. Do I have two mentors now?_

She followed Berrynose back into the crowd as the cats began to call her name. She couldn't help but want to shrink at all the attention – "Maplepaw! Maplepaw!" they cried.

"We're so proud of you," Bumblestripe mewed. His chest was puffed with pride.

Dovewing only purred, pressing against her daughter. Spottedpaw pushed through the crowd to lick Maplepaw between the ears.

"We'll be sharing a den again!" Spottedpaw exclaimed. "It's going to be great!"

Maplepaw purred, unable to voice her happiness any other way. To be beside Spottedpaw, her best friend, again made her happier than anything.

"Settle down, everyone!" Bramblestar called.

The Clan quieted, looking up at their leader. Maplepaw blinked, wondering what was happening. Apprentice ceremonies didn't usually have extra announcements attached to them.

"Leafpool would like to speak," Bramblestar told them.

He stepped back, and Leafpool took his place. The way the sun lit her slight frame made her look like some sort of dazzling StarClan cat.

"As you all know, I visited ShadowClan last moon to help Littlecloud, and have been there periodically this past moon," she began, her amber eyes gleaming. "Littlecloud's condition has been getting worse, and there is nothing more that can be done but to make him comfortable."

"What does this have to do with you?" Mousewhisker asked.

"With Littlecloud's condition in rapid decline," Leafpool went on, "I have decided that I must do what I can to help Mistpaw finish her training. So, as of tomorrow I will be temporarily joining ShadowClan so that I might finish Mistpaw's training."

"You're _leaving_ ThunderClan?" gasped Brackenfur.

Leafpool nodded.

Murmurs of shock and unease spread through the Clan, and Maplepaw looked up at Leafpool. What could this mean? Would Leafpool be a ShadowClan cat now?

"I'm not leaving ThunderClan permanently, mind you," Leafpool went on. "Once Mistpaw has completed her training and earned her medicine cat name, I will be returning. I know that you don't like this, but I cannot deny Littlecloud. He asked me to do this himself."

_Littlecloud asked an enemy medicine cat to teach his apprentice?_ Maplepaw thought. She knew that medicine cats operated differently than warriors, but not _that_ differently. Was this really something she could do?

"In the meantime, I leave you in the capable paws of Jayfeather," Leafpool meowed. "He has served you as a sole medicine cat before and has done a spectacular job. I don't think he can do any less than his best when it comes to taking care of this Clan."

"You agree with this, Bramblestar?" Brackenfur asked. He seemed to speak for the entire Clan as the most senior warrior.

Bramblestar nodded. "Every Clan needs and deserves a competent medicine cat. If Littlecloud himself asked for Leafpool to oversee the remainder of Mistpaw's training, then that is what must happen. Leafpool has trained Jayfeather to be an amazing medicine cat despite his blindness – she will do an excellent job with Mistpaw."

"I expect to be back in two seasons' time," Leafpool meowed. "With the peace that the Clans are in now, making it through to leaf-bare should not be a problem." She glanced at Bramblestar. "Just try not to get yourselves into trouble!"

"When are you leaving?" Lilyflight asked.

"Tomorrow," Leafpool meowed, "before the Gathering."

"We'll miss you!" Cinderheart called.

"Good luck!"

"Don't let those grumpy ShadowClan cats get to you!"

"Come back soon!"

Maplepaw watched as the Clan let out their heartfelt good-byes, as if Leafpool would not be coming back despite saying she would.

"Leafpool! Leafpool!" they called.

_She's so important to the Clan,_ Maplepaw thought. She imagined standing up there, tall and proud, with voices cheering her name. _Do I really want to be someone so important?_


	8. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_Hawkpaw grimaced, pulling clumps of dirty_ moss from between his toes. He spat them disgustedly at the ground, irritation causing the fur along his flanks to rise.

Three days. Three days he had been an apprentice, and his mentor had made him do nothing but clean out dens. He had been outside of camp once – only once, and not even for real training! Just a quick jog around the territory. Softpaw and Nightpaw and Milkpaw were all going for hunting practice and battle training, while Hawkpaw was stuck inside the camp with Smokefoot standing over him, pointing out another den that needed cleaning.

Hawkpaw was furious. Next thing he knew he would be relegated to only going outside to help Mistpaw or Leafpool gather herbs!

He cleaned out the last of the dirty moss and rolled onto his back, looking at the sky. It was pale, with white, fluffy clouds and a bright sun. The scent of ThunderClan was drifting into camp again today, and the familiarity of it make Hawkpaw's nose wrinkle.

His ears caught snippets of conversation from the warriors while he had worked on the dens today. Rowanstar was sending Tawnypelt scouting for a new camping spot for ShadowClan, and they would be leaving soon, just after sunhigh. Though Tawnypelt was the cat who found the camp for ShadowClan in the first place, even she admitted that the border was too close. Fighting over the border would risk too many lives – a last resort, in case there were no other options.

_Fighting after the Great Battle would be bad,_ Hawkpaw thought to himself. _But why? We shouldn't have to smell ThunderClan when the wind blows just right. I'm sure they don't smell ShadowClan…_

He looked at Tawnypelt. His idol, the Clan deputy, was sitting with a group of other warriors. Smokefoot and Tigerheart were among them. Her dappled pelt shifted between the warriors as she spoke to them in quiet tones Hawkpaw couldn't discern.

Was she talking to them about the patrol, and who would be going?

_I wish I was going,_ Hawkpaw thought. He rolled over and pawed at a tuft of grass. _It would be more exciting than sitting around here, waiting for someone to tell me to clean out yet another den._

There were no apprentices amongst the gathered cats, though, and Hawkpaw doubted that an apprentice would be present in such an important patrol. Besides, Smokefoot was unlikely to recommend Hawkpaw, seeing as how he had only been an apprentice for three days.

_Not only that, but I'm not even Clanborn,_ Hawkpaw thought dismally. He couldn't ignore the mutterings at his apprentice ceremony, a group of warriors sectioned off to talk about Hawkpaw's origins. To speculate where he came from – if he was a spy, or half-Clan, or something worse. He looked again at the group gathered around Tawnypelt. _It'd be a miracle to be included in anything important at all…_

"What are you moping about?"

Hawkpaw looked up.

It was Leafpool, the ThunderClan medicine cat. She had arrived two sunrises ago, herbs in her jaws, ready to stay in camp and take care of Mistpaw's training. Had it not been a request from the dying Littlecloud himself, Hawkpaw reckoned that Rowanstar would have denied Leafpool the right to come here again. Littlecloud was still hanging on, but only by a thin thread of grass – no cat in the Clan was delusional. Littlecloud would not last through newleaf. But no cat in ShadowClan could deny that Mistpaw needed more training.

"Nothing," Hawkpaw decided. "Just waiting for my mentor to tell me which den to clean next."

Leapfool glanced at the cats gathered around Tawnypelt. "Your mentor is Smokefoot, right?" she asked.

Hawkpaw nodded.

"He won't be asking you to do much of anything for now," Leafpool told him. "I heard him coughing earlier. The cold he had a moon ago has come back, and I'm having him rest until its gone."

Hawkpaw flicked an ear in surprise. He glanced at Smokefoot. The older gray tom didn't _look_ sick… but then Smokefoot took a pace back from the group to sneeze. Hawkpaw looked back at Leafpool, unsure of whether to feel relieved or concerned.

"It's newleaf, though," Hawkpaw told her. "Cats shouldn't be getting sick."

"Sometimes it doesn't hit until the cold's gone and things start growing again," Leafpool replied. "There's a similar case in ThunderClan – it's nothing to worry about. Smokefoot will be fine in a day or two, he just needs some rest. It's possible he might just be allergic to some pollen in the air, but we'll have to wait and see. It will be good practice for Mistpaw."

"You didn't come here just to chat about Mistpaw's training though, right?" Hawkpaw asked. He wasn't sure how to feel about the tabby ThunderClan she-cat, but he wondered just how long she was staying. Mistpaw was an older apprentice, and her training shouldn't take long to complete, right? Leafpool didn't need to cozy up to ShadowClan cats.

"Well, I came to tell you about Smokefoot," Leafpool offered, flicking her tail. She seemed to know why he was being so guarded. "And I was wondered if there was an apprentice that could be spared. I need to collect some herbs, but Mistpaw needs to stay with Littlecloud."

"The only spare one here would be me," Hawkpaw admitted bitterly. "Softpaw, Nightpaw, and Milkpaw are hunting for the Clan and Sparrowpaw is getting one-on-one battle training with Ratscar."

"I'd go alone but I don't know the territory well yet," Leafpool admitted. "I'd rather not take up a warrior's time if Tawnypelt's needing them."

"Well, I don't know the territory too well either," Hawkpaw admitted. "I've only been out of the camp once."

Leafpool blinked and then replied, "Well, then let's learn the territory together!"

"Leafpool!"

Leafpool and Hawkpaw turned to find Tigerheart padding towards them. Behind him, it looked as if Tawnypelt had a patrol together. It was small, with only Toadfoot and Kinkfur with her. The other warriors were spreading out, heading to dens, grabbing fresh-kill, or heading out of camp.

"We need Hawkpaw," Tigerheart mewed, stopping before them. "Sorry."

"It's all right," Leafpool mewed, her amber eyes unaffected. "I'll see if one of the apprentices will help when they come back."

Hawkpaw watched her lope away, heading for the secluded medicine cat's den. When she was gone, he looked at Tigerheart. His heart was swelling – surely Tigerheart wasn't joking, right?

"Come on," Tigerheart mewed, whiskers twitching. "Let's go already. Mother's not a patient cat."

"Y-You mean…?" Hawkpaw was breathless.

"She said I can help out with you while Smokefoot's in the medicine cat's den," Tigerheart told him. "So I asked if you could come with us. She agreed."

"Thank you, Tigerheart!" Hawkpaw exclaimed, his fur fluffing from excitement.

"Flatten your fur, will you?" Tigerheart asked. Hawkpaw calmed down, and Tigerheart lashed his tail. "I know this will be your first official patrol but… try and keep up!"

* * *

Hawkpaw couldn't help but relish the fact that he was outside the camp, breathing in the scents of the pine woods. Needles prickled beneath his paws, soft and firm. Tawnypelt led the small patrol through the wood with confidence, heading towards the RiverClan border.

Tall cedar trees, gray-white against the dark ground, stood tall here and there amidst the pines. Hawkpaw was in awe of them all, glad that for the first time this land was actually feeling like his territory.

They took their time, picking their way through the relatively flat land. Once there was a tree to leap over – the warriors cleared it in one bound, but Hawkpaw had to scramble over it. Once he was on the ground again they kept moving.

Hawkpaw didn't say much, wanting to take the territory in for all it was worth, but when he spotted a large structure between the trees he had to ask what it was. It was squarish, with sharp corners made of some strange mixture of stone and wood. Cat-scent drifted faintly from the place, along with a smell that Hawkpaw was unfamiliar with. It was strange and alien and it made Hawkpaw's nose curl with curiosity.

"That's a Twoleg den," Tawnypelt replied when Hawkpaw asked.

"Twolegs?" Hawkpaw breathed. He had only heard of the strange pink creatures without fur. They lived in such huge dens? How big were Twolegs, exactly? "So… the cat-scent is the scent of kittypets?"

Tawnypelt nodded. "Two of them, to be exact," she replied. She glanced at the den, curling her lip. "Those two kittypets are two nasty pieces of work – or were, as the case may be. They caused trouble some moons ago, when we first came to the lake; but we soon showed them whose territory this was."

"Kittypets caused trouble?" Hawkpaw mewed in disbelief. Surely the soft, overfed, lumbering cats he had heard of in tales couldn't possibly cause trouble?

"Those kittypets weren't the traditional kittypets," Tawnypelt assured him. "They were mean – but they picked a fight with the wrong Clan."

A murmur of assent went through the patrol.

"We shouldn't camp near them," Kinkfur decided, her long fur bristling at the thought.

"Don't worry," Toadfoot told her. "We're not camping _anywhere_ near a Twoleg den!"

Tawnypelt nodded in agreement, and the patrol moved on.

Hawkpaw stuck close to Tigerheart, asking questions now and again about landmarks in the territory. Tawnypelt swerved the patrol to avoid a particularly wet area of the territory, and though Hawkpaw could smell RiverClan in the distance, they kept going. Hawkpaw's legs were aching, but he couldn't help but ignore it. He was outside the camp walls, exploring his territory, and helping ShadowClan find a new, safer camp!

The thought was exciting, but the patrol searched until sunset and found nothing that was suitable. Hawkpaw staggered back into camp, sore and weary, feeling downhearted. Tawnypelt went to report to Rowanstar, while Toadfoot and Kinkfur went to the fresh-kill pile.

"Just because we didn't find anything today doesn't mean we won't tomorrow," Tigerheart mewed to Hawkpaw.

Hawkpaw looked wearily up at him, unsure of how to reply.

"Go get some fresh-kill and then rest," Tigerheart mewed. "I'll take you out for some battle practice tomorrow."

Hawkpaw blinked in reply. Though he felt like a failure because of the failed patrol, he couldn't help but be eager for some rest and then some real training. At least Tigerheart or Tawnypelt were treating him like a proper apprentice!

He devoured a mouse alone, and then headed into the den. Softpaw and Sparrowpaw were sleeping already, tired from their day. Softpaw smelled faintly of herbs, and Hawkpaw figured she had been the cat to help Leafpool. Sparrowpaw's paws were covered in bits of marshy mud and pine needles – he must have been practicing hard. Nightpaw and Milkpaw were sitting outside the den, sharing tongues quietly.

Hawkpaw hunkered down into his nest. Excitement pricked at his tired paws – he had been made an apprentice three days ago, but tomorrow he would be on his way to becoming a true ShadowClan warrior!


	9. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"_Stretch, Maplepaw!" Mapleshine insisted. "I know_ you can do it!"

Maplepaw grunted, reaching as high as she possibly could. Her claws strained until Maplepaw thought they would tear from her toes, and her muscles screamed for a break – but Mapleshine gave no breaks. Her training was too intense for a break.

She felt her claws tugging at the bark of the tree. It felt slimy beneath her hind paws, slick and hard to grip. There were hardly any pawholds on the trees here, and the branch nearest to Maplepaw was almost two tail-lengths away – too far for her to reach normally.

"Climb!" Mapleshine urged.

"I'll fall!" Maplepaw insisted. She shivered, imagining herself plummeting down to the ground in a broken heap of mottled fur and shattered bones. The thought made her heart beat hard and fast in her ears.

"If you panic, you'll definitely fall," Mapleshine told her matter-of-factly. "If you take a deep breath and be confident, you won't."

Maplepaw took a deep breath. It didn't seem to help. She mustered up all the confidence she could find, but that wasn't helping much, either. She was stuck halfway up a slick, slimy tree, her claws ready to give way, and no way to go further up. She tried to look down, but the effort nearly made her claws work free and she gripped the bark harder, clutching herself tight to the slimy trunk.

Below, Maplepaw heard Mapleshine huff with impatience.

"You're making it up there," Mapleshine insisted.

"I can't!" Maplepaw shrieked. "There's nothing to grab! I'm stuck!"

"The most skilled climbers don't need a pawhold," Mapleshine retorted. "You're holding yourself back, Maplepaw!"

"I'm not!" Maplepaw cried. "I just don't want to fall!"

"If you keep worrying about what might happen, you'll lose sight of what will happen," Mapleshine snapped back. "Stop worrying about falling and start climbing!"

Maplepaw flinched at the sudden harshness in her tone. _I would be upset with me if I were her, too,_ Maplepaw thought. _Stuck up a tree, too afraid to keep climbing… what kind of cat am I?_

She tried moving one of her forepaws, but she didn't have a sturdy enough grip with her hind paws. Her supports failed, and Maplepaw found herself slithering and sliding down the slimy-smooth trunk of the tree. Maplepaw let out a wail as she crashed to the ground.

"You deserved that," Mapleshine decided.

Dazed, Maplepaw sat up.

"Is anything broken?" Mapleshine asked.

Maplepaw stood up. Wobbly, she took a few short steps and determined that she was fine – just winded. Her front paws ached, blood oozing from a few torn claws. It stung to put any weight down on one paw. Hissing with worry and pain, she sat down and began to lick her toes clean.

"Next time, you'll get up there," Mapleshine meowed. "Without complaint."

Maplepaw blinked at her nightly mentor. Mapleshine wasn't looking at her, but Maplepaw could sense her frustration. Learning the hunting crouch as a kit had been easy – but this tree-climbing was too hard, too fast. Maplepaw's fur hadn't even lost its nursery scent, and she was learning techniques that apprentice's three moons older than her were learning!

She supposed she ought to be grateful for the extra attention – Berrynose hadn't done much the past few days but take her on a tour of the territory and hunt with her here and there, between assigning her to taking care of the elders. She hadn't yet been assigned to a patrol or a solo task – all she knew was that she could collect moss efficiently and tackle a mouse.

Mapleshine was challenging her… perhaps a bit too much.

_But she wouldn't hurt me,_ Maplepaw insisted. _She promised she would help me be a great warrior. And she's a StarClan cat! They don't do bad things._ Maplepaw had been told stories of the evil spirit-warriors of the Dark Forest, and how they had attempted to overthrow StarClan. The four Clans, along with the Three, defeated them for good – but the Dark Forest warriors had trained Clan warriors and tricked some of them into fighting for them.

_Mapleshine isn't one of those cats,_ Maplepaw reminded herself. _What she's teaching me is for my own good, and the good of my Clan._

"How are your claws?" Mapleshine asked.

"They hurt," Maplepaw admitted. "A lot."

Mapleshine turned her amber gaze on Maplepaw. There was a flicker of something, and then it was back to the sweet nature that Maplepaw was used to. "Then I suppose I'll see you when you get better," Mapleshine decided, whiskers twitching.

"I… I can come again tomorrow night!" Maplepaw insisted. "I just…"

"You won't be able to use your claws well," Mapleshine told her. "Not only will you be unable to climb a tree… you won't be able to practice any fighting moves with me until they're better."

Maplepaw drooped. "I'm sorry," she told Mapleshine. _If only I weren't a failure!_

"It's no matter," Mapleshine told her kindly. "Besides; there's something you can do for me in the meantime. A small favor."

Maplepaw perked up. A favor? "Anything!" Maplepaw mewed emphatically. _Anything to pay you back even a little!_

Mapleshine's eyes flashed again. "Have you ever been to the Moonpool?" she asked.

Maplepaw shook her head. "Berrynose showed me the river it's connected to, but we didn't go there," she mewed. "It's for medicine cats."

"Yes, it is," Mapleshine agreed, nodding. "But I need you to go there."

Maplepaw flicked an ear. Confusion filled her, and she wasn't sure how to respond.

"Not now, of course," Mapleshine insisted, flicking her bushy white tail. "But when you get the chance."

"You… want me to sneak out of camp?" Maplepaw mewed hesitantly. She was pretty sure that would get her into trouble, even if it was for Mapleshine.

"If you have to," Mapleshine mewed. She didn't seem bothered by the thought of sneaking out of camp. "But if you can find a way to do it without getting into trouble, then that's good. It doesn't matter how you get there, Maplepaw – I just need you to get there."

"Why?" Maplepaw asked.

Mapleshine's eyes flashed a third time. "I'll tell you when you get there," she mewed carefully. "It's nothing terrible, I assure you."

"OK," Maplepaw mewed. "I'll get to the Moonpool. I promise."

"That's my Maplepaw," purred Mapleshine. She touched her nose to Maplepaw's forehead affectionately, though Maplepaw felt no warmth in the gesture. She supposed it was because Mapleshine was a spirit, and her warmth was fading with the rest of her.

Mapleshine pulled away and mewed cheerily, "Get back to your Clan, Maplepaw – its morning now."

"What about my paws?" Maplepaw asked. She glanced down at her sore appendages with dismay. Two claws were bleeding, and the others were extremely sore. She couldn't hardly sheathe them without wincing. She'd never gotten hurt here before – would it matter in the waking world?

But when she looked up, Mapleshine and the gloomy woods were gone.

Maplepaw blinked, and she was suddenly in the apprentice's den. She was curled into a tight ball in her nest, which Spottedpaw had helped her build. The other apprentices were stirring around her as pale dawn light seeped into the den.

_Why the Moonpool?_ Maplepaw wondered absently, her dream still fresh in her mind. Her muscles ached and felt stiff, and when she moved to sit up and wash herself she felt a stinging in her paws. Blood-scent filled the den quickly, and Maplepaw's tail bushed in panic.

"Maplepaw?" Spottedpaw murmured. Sleepily the dappled she-cat sat up, her amber eyes bleary and tired. They snapped open when she breathed in the smell of Maplepaw's bloodied claws.

Fur rising along her neck, Spottedpaw demanded, "Maplepaw – what happened?!"

"Yeesh," Amberpaw complained, sitting up in her nest. She gave her chest fur a few quick licks. "You should be more careful training, Maplepaw. Try not to pull your claws out."

Maplepaw looked at Amberpaw, feeling panic rise. Did Amberpaw know about Mapleshine – she wasn't supposed to know! No one was!

"Does Berrynose know that you tore your claws yesterday?" Snowpaw asked, his blue eyes glowing in the dawn light.

_Berrynose?_ Maplepaw paused. _They… think this happened because of training with Berrynose?_

Maplepaw's mouth was dry. They couldn't know about Mapleshine, but telling them that Berrynose was at fault was just as bad – it would be a lie, and she didn't want to lie to her Clanmates and possibly get her mentor in trouble.

Snowpaw leaned forward and gave a tired sniff at Maplepaw's paws. "I wouldn't worry about it," he grunted. "Your paws are white – that makes injuries with blood look worse than they are."

"I tore a claw the first time I had to collect moss for the elders," Amberpaw admitted. "I dug my claws in too far and I ended coming back with a pawful of bark! Great StarClan, was Brackenfur cross at me for that!" She used a paw to nudge Dewpaw into alertness. The pale gray tom's head shot up, his eyes wide. He mumbled something about a RiverClan she-cat, but he calmed down quickly.

"Just go and see Leafpool," Snowpaw told her dismissively. "And be more careful next time."

Amberpaw flicked him with her tail. "Mouse-brain – Leafpool is in _ShadowClan!_ She should see _Jayfeather."_

"Yeah, yeah," Snowpaw grumbled. He opened his jaws in a huge yawn. When they closed, he muttered, "Whatever."

"I… I will," Maplepaw mewed. She was stunned – it had explained itself away so easily! She hadn't expected her paws to hurt her when she woke – she certainly hadn't expected them to bleed. Glancing down at them, she supposed she had to be grateful that she hadn't had an injury that was harder to explain away, like a nicked ear or something.

_I'll have to remember that,_ Maplepaw thought. _I don't think Mapleshine means to hurt me, but I suppose sometimes it can't be helped._

"Come on," Spottedpaw mewed, nudging Maplepaw. "Let's get you to Jayfeather – but I wish you'd told me yesterday!"

Maplepaw frowned. "It… it didn't hurt yesterday," she mewed. It wasn't a lie, she supposed.

Spottedpaw's eyes were friendly and sympathetic. "I suppose you'll be on den duty for today, then," she said with a sigh. "I'll try and catch you something nice."

Maplepaw blinked gratefully at her friend. Though Spottedpaw's eyes glanced suspiciously at Maplepaw's paws, the look lasted only a moment before the dappled tortoiseshell pushed herself out of her nest. She stretched, and then stepped out of the den.

Licking down her chest fur quickly, Maplepaw followed. Together, they made their way across the camp to see Jayfeather. No cat seemed to question the two of them, nor Maplepaw's bloodied paws. One or two cats looked, but nothing was said. They reached the medicine cat's den without interruption.

"Try to be more careful next time," Spottedpaw insisted. "OK?"

Maplepaw blinked at her. "OK," she replied.

Spottedpaw butted her head against Maplepaw's shoulder, and then turned to join the other apprentices at the fresh-kill pile.

Maplepaw's tail twitched. She didn't like lying to her friend and her Clanmates, but she had promised to keep her meetings with Mapleshine a secret. With a small sigh, she realized that she might just have to get used to doing things she didn't like.

The medicine den was cool and full of the fragrance of herbs. Jayfeather was pawing at them when Spottedpaw and Maplepaw entered. Spottedpaw quickly explained the issue, and Jayfeather went about sorting some more. Eventually, he grabbed a pile of leaves in his jaws and approached.

"Here," Jayfeather meowed. He laid thepile of fragrant-smelling leaves at Maplepaw's paws. "Eat those and get in that nest there." He pointed with his tail towards an empty nest of ferns and bracken, furthest from the wheezing, moaning Foxleap.

Maplepaw obeyed, shivering at the taste of the bitter herbs. She settled herself in her nest, paws throbbing, and sighed.

"Will she be all right?" Spottedpaw asked.

"Yes, of course," Jayfeather mewed with certainty. The pale tabby turned and began sorting through piles of leaves at the other side of the den. "Cats tear claws every day. Rest is all she needs. Tell Berrynose his apprentice won't be doing much work today."

"Of course," Spottedpaw agreed.

"Also," Jayfeather added, with a glance at Foxleap, "tell Squirrelflight to excuse Foxleap from his duties for a few more days. His cold is nearing its peak, and once his fever breaks he'll need a few days to recover."

"Will he be OK?" Maplepaw asked. She wanted to lift her head, but her entire body felt heavy like stone. Her eyes were drooping, and she adjusted her chin to rest against a softer piece of bracken.

Jayfeather blinked. "He should be fine in a few days' time," he meowed.

"I'll tell them," Spottedpaw promised. She glanced at Maplepaw. "Get better soon, OK?"

"I will," Maplepaw replied sleepily.

Spottedpaw turned and left, and the last thing that Maplepaw saw before she fell to sleep was Jayfeather soaking moss in a pool of water. He took it to Foxleap, but the ginger tom refused to drink. Maplepaw's eyes closed, and she fell to sleep.

For the first time in what seemed like a long time, Maplepaw's dreams were undisturbed.


	10. Chapter 8

**I fixed a small error in Chapter 2 where Littlecloud was mentioned to be older than Graystripe. Sorry about that!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

_Hawkpaw woke, sighing._

His dreams had led him in circles, chasing a scent he didn't know. Hawkpaw had the mouse between his claws, but it faded to dust as soon as he caught the scent of the unknown ShadowClan cat. It had been stronger this time, but he still had no idea who this cat was.

He rolled over in his nest, nearly bumping into Softpaw. The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat was still sleeping, and he pulled away before he woke her. She still smelled of the herbs she had helped gather the day before, helping Leafpool gather supplies from around the territory.

The apprentice's den was otherwise empty. Sparrowpaw and Milkpaw were chatting and eating just outside, and as Hawkpaw slipped out of the den he spotted Nightpaw trotting out of camp with Olivenose.

Camp life seemed to be going on as usual, but to Hawkpaw it all seemed to matter little. Today he would be receiving his first round of battle training – from Tigerheart!

The thought made him happy as he trotted to the fresh-kill pile. It drove away the thought of ShadowClan never finding a new camp. He was finally getting some _real_ training! He had a feeling that with Smokefoot watching over him he would be told to clean out some cats' den any time now.

He did feel bad about Smokefoot falling ill, though. Hawkpaw wished him no harm, but Tigerheart was the mentor he had always wanted.

Hawkpaw selected a lizard from the pile – freshly-caught. He settled himself near Sparrowpaw and Milkpaw, who were sharing tongues idly as they waited for their mentors. As he ate, Softpaw woke and joined him with a bird in her jaws.

"So what's the plan for you today?" Hawkpaw asked, glancing to the others.

"Sunhigh patrol," Milkpaw mewed.

"Den-cleaning," complained Sparrowpaw.

Softpaw was cleaning her whiskers as she mewed, "Not sure yet – Tawnypelt didn't say anything to me."

"Well, Tigerheart promised me some battle training," Hawkpaw mewed gratefully. With a glance at Sparrowpaw, he couldn't help but mew, "Bad luck on picking up den duty, though."

Sparrowpaw curled his lip, grumbling under his breath.

Hawkpaw flicked an ear. He thought he caught the phrase, "Clan blood", but he chose to ignore it. Sparrowpaw never really had good things to say about Hawkpaw. The large tabby sat up and huffed, leaving the group. Milkpaw tossed her head and followed, tail fluffed.

Frowning, Hawkpaw pushed away his lizard's remains. Milkpaw was like a sister to him – how could she act so callous?

"Don't let her bother you," Softpaw murmured, looking up at him.

Hawkpaw glanced at Softpaw.

"She's just trying to get Sparrowpaw's attention," Softpaw went on.

"She's being a frog-brain for some tom?" Hawkpaw exclaimed.

Softpaw shrugged. "I wouldn't complain," she mewed. "Toms can be just as frog-brained when they want attention from a she-cat."

"I'd never be that frog-brained," Hawkpaw promised. "Ever."

Softpaw's whiskers twitched, and she said nothing.

"Hawkpaw!"

Hawkpaw turned and found Tigerheart approaching. He looked flustered.

"What is it?" Hawkpaw asked.

"I'm sorry, Hawkpaw," Tigerheart huffed. "But Tawnypelt needs me for another patrol. We can't do battle training today."

Hawkpaw's eyes widened, feeling disappointment clench in his stomach.

"We'll do it tomorrow," Tigerheart promised.

"So, what am I supposed to do for today?" Hawkpaw asked. He supposed that having the training pushed back was no issue – just so long as he wasn't stuck on den-duty with grumpy Sparrowpaw.

Tigerheart glanced at Softpaw. "Hunt for the Clan," he decided.

"But, I've…" Hawkpaw stammered. "I haven't been hunting on my own before." He hadn't been hunting often at all, for that matter.

"Go with Softpaw," Tigerheart told him. "She can hunt well enough and it would be good for you to get some tips."

Hawkpaw glanced at his denmate. Softpaw? Something about hunting with Softpaw made his paws tremble. Would he impress her? Would he fail miserably? Something made him worry about the fact that he might just not be good enough, and that he would just make a fool out of himself.

"Hunt for the Clan," Tigerheart meowed. "Be back by late mealtime, and remember to obey the code – the Clan must be fed first."

"Of course," Softpaw mewed. "We will keep to that."

"Then go off and do good," Tigerheart told them. "Stay away from the borders, and the Twoleg nest. There's plenty of prey around to be found."

The tabby warrior waved his tail in farewell and bounded off to join Tawnypelt. Their patrol headed out not long after.

Hawkpaw kneaded his paws into the ground. He wished he were with them, feeling the same feelings he had experienced the day before. Exploring his territory, getting to know every pawstep…

_I can do that with Softpaw, too,_ he realized.

"Ready to go?" she asked with her soft tones.

She was standing before him, well-groomed, with strong muscles beneath her tortoiseshell-and-cream pelt. The sun shone on her dappled pelt, highlighting her markings in yellow-gold. Her eyes were clear and full of Softpaw's gentle humor, humor that Hawkpaw had grown up with as a kit at their shared mother's belly.

Hawkpaw found his whiskers twitching.

"Of… Of course," he stammered. "Let's go."

* * *

The sky was red with evening as Hawkpaw and Softpaw made their way around the territory again. They were both tired and paw-sore, but neither of them could deny the amount of prey they had caught.

ThunderClan's border loomed ahead of them by several fox-lengths. The scent was faint. Hawkpaw could see the hill where the Twoleg nest with the kittypets stood, and knew they had to avoid it. Prey-scent was faint here, but Hawkpaw could smell shrew.

He and Softpaw had spent the day touring the territory together, walking side-by-side through the thin undergrowth. Pine needles softened their pawsteps, allowing for the sound of the woods to blanket them in a tranquil haze of bird calls and rustling branches.

They had talked a lot, too – quietly, of course. They talked about training and what their favorite type of fresh-kill was. They talked about Littlecloud, and Hawkpaw had asked Softpaw what she thought of Leafpool – "She's sweet enough, I suppose. Very good at what she does, but a ThunderClan cat through and through." They talked about the possibility of a new camp, hunting tips, and so many other things that Hawkpaw felt dizzy for recalling.

It had been an amazing day.

"Let's see if we can't catch those shrews I smell," Hawkpaw offered.

Softpaw sat down. Her eyes were sparkling, but they were tired. "You can," she sighed, lifting a paw for a wash. "I'm exhausted."

"No wonder," Hawkpaw purred. "You caught almost twice as much as I did."

Softpaw flicked an ear. "Don't let that get you down," she murmured. "I have more experience than you. You did very well for yourself."

Hawkpaw supposed that a frog and two mice were a good show for all his work – but Softpaw had managed to make him look like a newborn kit. Hawkpaw had been in awe of her as she made a mighty leap to catch a blackbird to add to her pile.

_I can't wait until my legs are powerful enough for that!_ Hawkpaw decided.

Softpaw licked a claw gently. She frowned and commented, "I think I wrenched it."

Concern flashed through Hawkpaw. "Are you OK?" he wondered.

"It must have been when I leaped for that bird," Softpaw told him. "It's fine – I just need some rest. We should head back soon, before it gets dark."

Hawkpaw nodded in agreement. The sun was already setting, and though Hawkpaw liked the way the red light colored Softpaw's fur, he knew if she was hurt they wouldn't be able to fend off anything dangerous.

"Should we head back now?" Hawkpaw asked.

Softpaw flicked an ear. "With that shrew just _begging_ to be caught? Of course not!" she purred. "Go after it – shrews are quick, though. Don't let it get away from you."

Hawkpaw twitched his whiskers at her blessing. He opened his jaws and breathed in the scent of that shrew. He imagined the small brown creature just _daring_ to make an escape from Hawkpaw's powerful claws – but unlike Hawkpaw's dreams, this prey would not escape him.

He tracked the creature into the undergrowth, being extra careful of how he moved his muddied paws. The ground was harder and firmer here, unlike ShadowClan's usual soft and marshy territory. It just told Hawkpaw that ThunderClan's territory was not far. He knew better than to cross the border.

The shrew's scent was strongest in a clump of bracken. Two tail-lengths away, Hawkpaw's sharp eyes could spot the creature rummaging for seeds below the leafy fronds. Hawkpaw dropped into a crouch, prepared to spring. Shrews were fast, but Hawkpaw was determined to catch this one.

_One…_

_Two…_

_Three!_

Hawkpaw leaped…

And fell just short. The bracken waved wildly, and the shrew darted out of the undergrowth and into the open. Hawkpaw gave chase, pounding after the little brown streak. Twoleg scent just barely brushed his nose as the trees disappeared for a split second. It was all a blur.

He was gaining… but when he made another leap he missed and fell onto the ground. He watched the shrew dart away into the safety of a clump of brambles, never to be seen again.

Hawkpaw pushed himself up, cursing. The strong scents of plants and trees surrounded him, and when he turned to head back towards Softpaw he realized by her expression his mistake.

He had crossed the border!

Terrified, Hawkpaw streaked back to the ShadowClan side. Softpaw was waiting there, her eyes wide – the humor gone. Her tail was bristling slightly.

Hawkpaw blinked at her, realizing that the clump of ferns where the shrew had been hiding had not been too far away from the border. The smell of ThunderClan was so familiar to the cats of ShadowClan now that it was hard to really tell the difference between it and his own Clan-scent. Twoleg-scent had been his only clue, and he had streaked right over the Twoleg path and it's faint stench.

The two collected their prey, hidden beneath a low-growing spruce, and walked back to camp in a tense silence as the sun sank behind the trees.


	11. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"_I smelled it, I tell you,"_ growled Snowpaw. "ShadowClan! Right on our side of the border!"

"ShadowClan?" Spottedpaw breathed. Her chest fur fluffed.

Snowpaw nodded. "At least a whole fox-length into our territory!" he exclaimed.

"And after all we've done for them!" huffed Amberpaw. "We gave them one of our medicine cats!"

Maplepaw trembled beside Spottedpaw. ShadowClan, on their territory? Were they invading? Her paws itched. Jayfeather had put a balm on them that morning when she'd woken up, insisting that she not lick it off. She'd slept for a whole day and night without any dreams – Mapleshine must have tuckered her out more than Maplepaw had realized.

"Thornclaw went to tell Squirrelflight and Bramblestar," Snowpaw declared. His tail-tip twitched. "I'm sure there'll be a meeting!"

"Did you scent who it was?" Amberpaw asked. "We've smelled some ShadowClan cats at the last Gathering. Was it familiar?"

Snowpaw shook his head. "I bet it was a powerful warrior, though!" he boasted. "Scouting our territory and looking for the best place to lay claim!"

"ShadowClan likes extending their borders," Amberpaw agreed. "I suppose the Great Battle's peace couldn't last…"

Spottedpaw glanced at Maplepaw, worry flashing in her friend's amber eyes.

"There's Dewpaw," Amberpaw mewed, nodding her head towards their gray brother. "Let's go tell him!"

The two siblings went off to tell Dewpaw the exciting news. Maplepaw's eyes followed them, watching as Dewpaw returned, dusty, from patrol near the WindClan border. Their fur was slightly damp from the early rain. She watched as Dewpaw's expression went from quiet interest to wide-eyed concern. Quickly, his mouth moved, and his sibling's fur bristled in return.

"What's going on?" Spottedpaw asked. She nudged Maplepaw, drawing her attention away from their denmates. Spottedpaw nodded towards the Highledge. "Millie just went up there!"

Maplepaw's eyes went wide. "Do you think there was a problem at the WindClan border?" she wondered.

"Seems like it," Spottedpaw murmured. "If Millie went up to report to Bramblestar directly, that is."

Maplepaw kept her eyes trained on the Highledge. A moment later, Thornclaw and Millie exited the cave. Following in their pawsteps were Bramblestar and Squirrelflight. By the time Thornclaw and Millie were on the ground of the hollow again, Bramblestar's summons rang out through the camp.

The cats gathered. Graystripe, who had been sunning himself outside the elder's den, settled down beside Briarlight, his daughter. The only warriors who were missing were Bumblestripe's hunting patrol of Toadstep and Lilyflight. Cinderheart came out alone, sitting near Lionblaze and Ivypool. Poppyfrost lay near Maplepaw's mentor Berrynose beside the nursery entrance – with Daisy still unable to leave her kits, she would need to be informed of the meeting.

Maplepaw and Spottedpaw padded over to join Amberpaw, Dewpaw, and Snowpaw near the back of the crowd.

Dewpaw was talking, quietly, under his breath. "We found scent of WindClan and scraps of prey, but it wasn't any cat that Millie, Cloudtail, or Brightheart knew well," he stated. His nose wrinkled. "It was a crow-food stench more than anything."

"Cats of ThunderClan!" Bramblestar announced. The crowd quieted. "I've received unexpected news. Two accounts of border crossings, one from ShadowClan and one from WindClan."

"That's outrageous!" Graystripe complained. Millie was by his side. "There's no need for squabbling now."

"The Great Battle is won," agreed Brackenfur. "Why start things now?"

"That's what I intend to find out," Bramblestar meowed. "It may just be a freak coincidence."

"We found prey on the WindClan side," countered Cloudtail. "I don't think _that's_ a coincidence."

"I know," Bramblestar said, nodding. "That's why there's going to be two patrols. We're going to figure this out, ThunderClan – and we're going to do it without violence. Like Brackenfur said, there's no need to start any fights now, when the greatest battle we've ever faced has been won not too long ago. I believe the Clans can be civil about these sorts of things."

Bramblestar eyed the Clan. Then, he announced, "I'm going to take a patrol myself to the WindClan border. There was prey found there, and I want that figured out before anything else. Squirrelflight will take another patrol to speak to ShadowClan about their border crossing near the Twoleg path on ShadowClan's side."

There was murmuring, but it seemed as if all the Clan agreed.

"We'll figure this out," Bramblestar promised, "and we will stop the trespassing."

The Clan cheered for their leader.

Bramblestar and Squirrelflight leaped down from the Highledge. Warriors converged around them, clamoring to get in on the patrols.

"We should try to go, too," Amberpaw said determinedly. Dewpaw and Snowpaw were already pushing through the crowd, trying to get to Bramblestar and Squirrelflight.

"The patrols are bound to look less threatening if there are apprentices with them," agreed Spottedpaw.

"Good luck," Maplepaw offered. She lifted an injured paw. "I'm not much use for patrolling with my claws torn."

Spottedpaw threw her a sympathetic look. "If I go," she promised, "I'll tell you all about it."

Maplepaw watched the choices be made. In the end, Bramblestar chose Brackenfur, Cloudtail, Spiderleg, Lionblaze, Amberpaw and Spottedpaw. Squirrelflight took Millie, Thornclaw, Birchfall, Dovewing, and Snowpaw. Dewpaw seemed disappointed at being left behind.

"Brightheart!" called Bramblestar.

"Yes?" the one-eyed warrior mewed.

"Take Mousewhisker and Icecloud to go and fetch Bumblestripe's hunting patrol," Bramblestar mewed. "Tell them what's happened, and then go hunting yourselves."

"Take Dewpaw with you, too," Millie offered. "I promised him he'd go hunting, but he'll have to do it without me."

Brightheart nodded. Dewpaw didn't seem so disappointed anymore. The group moved to take off through the thorn tunnel, but they were halted when Jayfeather stepped into the crowd.

"Wait," Jayfeather meowed, his voice rising over the clamor.

Brightheart and her patrol paused.

"Leave Icecloud here," Jayfeather meowed, his blind blue eyes seeking out the white warrior's pelt. Icecloud's ears pricked.

"Why?" she asked.

"Foxleap was asking after you," Jayfeather told her. "He wants to see you."

Icecloud's eyes were wide and worried for her littermate. She looked at Brightheart, and then at Bramblestar.

The big tabby nodded his huge head. "Of course she can stay," he meowed. "Brightheart, take Rosepetal instead."

_I wonder if that will help Foxleap feel better,_ Maplepaw thought.

The two she-cats switched places, and Icecloud followed Jayfeather into the medicine cat's den. Brightheart set off on her patrol, grateful for the lack of interruptions. Then, the other two patrols got organized and left. Spottedpaw gave Maplepaw a nod before she left through the thorn tunnel, following Amberpaw as they trotted after Bramblestar.

Maplepaw sighed. The dust was clearing, and the cats were huddling up into groups to gossip about what had just happened. No one asked her to join them.

_I should have gone,_ Maplepaw thought, looking down at her wounded paws. _If I weren't so weak they would have begged for me to come on that patrol with them._

"Maplepaw!"

Maplepaw's ears pricked at the raspy voice. It was Graystripe, whose long gray fur laid well over his plump belly.

"Mind coming to clean out our den?" he asked. It wasn't an order – more like a casual invitation to chat. "I'm sure there's some story we haven't told you yet."

Maplepaw had no choice but to nod and follow him. For now, this is what her lot was. Her paws would be better soon… and then her training would recommence.

Mapleshine's odd request was just a flash at the back of her mind.


	12. Chapter 10

**Well gee… so it turns out that this story is going to be cut off soon. This first main plot point is going to take a while – there's a ThunderClan one and a ShadowClan one. In the next section of the story we'll begin to see more and more of the sickness and the prophecy – but this story is going to be about 20 chapters long. I'll try to keep it within that limit.**

**It's mostly for personal reasons, so I hope all of you who are reading past the Allegiances (those few who are not offended by canon) understand. I don't want to spend forever and ever getting to the point, but in order for things to be the way they need to be a few time skips needs to take place and I need to sort through what events will be in what time skips before I get to them.**

**Not to mention I still need to work on more chapters for **_**Celestial Ascendance.**_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"_Try not to get too ahead_ of yourself," Tigerheart warned. His whiskers were twitching. "Enthusiasm is great, but too much can be what gets you hurt."

Hawkpaw pushed himself up off the ground. He could feel the prickle of a pine needle caught in his fur. The ShadowClan training ground was covered in them, creating a soft, springy floor for practice. Warriors cleared pinecones from it so that no cat took nasty injuries – despite that, it was the best place for training.

Water oozed from between Hawkpaw's toes. A light rain in the early morning hours had made the ground squishier than usual. It brought out the smells of the wood – of pine and cedar, and the wet, growing things.

"Try again," Tigerheart offered. He broadened his stance, standing firm on the earth.

Hawkpaw took a step back. He gathered all the strength in his hind legs, and then made a massive leap. He landed just a tail-length away from Tigerheart, then he lashed out with one sheathed paw. He narrowly missed Tigerheart's muzzle.

"Quick," Tigerheart told him, "and this time you didn't stumble with your leap. But try to get yourself closer to me."

"But I could hurt you," Hawkpaw told him. "Besides, my legs don't have that kind of strength yet." Maybe in a moon's time he could leap as high as Softpaw did yesterday, but right now he was not so powerful.

"ShadowClan doesn't rely on strength, remember?" Tigerheart reminded him. "ThunderClan and RiverClan do. ShadowClan relies on guile and stealth and the speed of their strikes. Fast strikes with little power allow for the warrior to conserve their energy for when they really need it."

_Speed, not strength,_ Hawkpaw told himself. _Speed, not strength._

"I'll move closer to you so you can try again," Tigerheart offered. They got back into their positions, with Tigerheart being a few pawsteps closer to Hawkpaw. "Whenever you're ready."

Hawkpaw bunched his muscles. He aimed as quickly as he could – he felt he spent a little too long doing that – before he leaped at his temporary mentor.

He had taken too long to aim, obviously, but Tigerheart took the light blow to the face. He staggered only slightly, and he shook his muzzle as Hawkpaw took a few steps back.

"You can hit me harder, you know," Tigerheart chuckled. "I'm not made of moss."

"I don't want to -"

"Don't worry about hurting me," Tigerheart growled. "This is a training session. So long as your claws are sheathed, we won't come away with anything but bruises. Now hit me like you mean it!"

They got back into their positions. Tigerheart stood before Hawkpaw like a sentinel, unmovable and unshakeable. Strong and fierce. A true warrior. When Hawkpaw leaped, he took the full force of the apprentice's blow to his muzzle without flinching. Tigerheart rolled with the impact and never did a paw leave the ground.

"Wow…" Hawkpaw gasped.

Tigerheart shook sand from his fur and sat down, rubbing his muzzle. "You hit pretty hard, Hawkpaw," he remarked. "With claws behind that, you could give some warrior a nasty scratch on the muzzle – sometimes that's enough to send them running."

He stood up and shook himself once more. "OK," he mewed. "Let's try a defensive move. I'll come at you, and what I want you to do is -"

"Tigerheart! There you are!"

Scent washed over them both as Tawnypelt padded into the clearing. Softpaw was behind her, along with Starlingwing. Hawkpaw tilted his head slightly, wondering what they were doing here.

"What's going on?" Tigerheart asked.

"I want you two to join me on patrol," Tawnypelt mewed.

Tigerheart's eyes flashed. "We're in the middle of training," he meowed. "I told you I wanted to teach Hawkpaw some battle moves today, since I couldn't teach him yesterday."

Tawnypelt's eyes narrowed at her son. "A patrol is just as much training as battle moves. When Smokefoot is better, he'll teach Hawkpaw about fighting. I only asked you to keep an eye on him, not take over for good. Now come on."

Tigerheart's shoulders sagged. "Alright," he sighed. "Come on, Hawkpaw."

Hawkpaw sighed inwardly. Missing training, again? He was just getting warmed up. He fell in step behind Tigerheart as Tawnypelt led them through the woods.

Softpaw slowed her pace to walk with Hawkpaw.

_Well,_ Hawkpaw reflected, _at least this isn't _so_ bad…_

"Where are we patrolling?" Hawkpaw asked.

"The ThunderClan border," Starlingwing replied. The ginger tom was just ahead of them, while Tawnypelt and Tigerheart were in the lead, talking quietly.

Hawkpaw's fur rose slightly, and he glanced at Softpaw. Had she told Tawnypelt about what had happened yesterday? How he had crossed the border? What if Tawnypelt was so angry at him she was going to toss him over the border and never let him return?

"I didn't say anything," Softpaw whispered. "The early rain should have washed your scent away."

Hawkpaw felt a little relief. But there were so many trees in ThunderClan territory – what if his scent _hadn't_ disappeared?

"Anyway," Softpaw went on. "I… asked if we could patrol with you."

"What?" Hawkpaw wondered, blinking at her.

Softpaw looked away from him, her tail-tip twitching. "I had… I had a lot of fun with you yesterday. I know we don't train together all the time, but I wanted to do it again. I miss you being around."

Hawkpaw's breath hitched. He hadn't expected her to say anything near what she had, not had he expected him to like what she had said so much. He often missed when they were kits – when he was a kit, no one dared call him names under their breath, or give him dirty looks… at least, not where he could see them. He had been protected by Ivytail and the 'kit in his name. He missed playing innocently with Softpaw and her littermates – even though he knew they weren't of the same blood, it felt like that, for a time.

He hadn't realized that they – at least, Softpaw – had missed him as much as he has missed them.

"I…" Hawkpaw began. His fur burned. "I miss you too."

Softpaw let out a soft, mellow purr.

* * *

ThunderClan scent came much sooner than any of the warriors would have liked. Tawnypelt was clearly on edge, stalking the border on her toes. They crept up the border from the lake, following the stream that marked half the border between the two Clans. Hawkpaw could sense the ShadowClan camp not too far away.

_This border is way too close,_ he thought. He could see the reasoning behind the Clans' worries. _We're a strong Clan, but our camp is just a leap away from the stream. It's too dangerous._

"Keep an eye out," Tawnypelt announced. "Apprentices, I want to know what you're scenting!"

Hawkpaw drew in a breath. "Prey," he mewed, "and ThunderClan."

Softpaw was scenting, too. "Same," she meowed. "Though I smell something like crow-food."

Starlingwing opened his jaws. "Fox," he meowed.

"It's on their side of the border," Tigerheart reported. "But we should keep an eye on it in case it moves over."

Hawkpaw opened his jaws and drew in the scent. It was new, and it smelled rather gross. Crow-food, blood, and it smelled sort of like the Twoleg nest that was in their territory. He knew that foxes were dangerous for kits and undertrained apprentices.

"If we see a patrol, we'll let them know we scented it," Tawnypelt meowed. "Let's keep moving."

Starlingwing muttered something under his breath about not liking her idea, but no one questioned the deputy.

They followed Tawnypelt up the stream and even through it as they followed the border. Hawkpaw's paws were just drying when they drew near the to Twoleg path that was the main separation of the territories. Hawkpaw's paws prickled as he realized how easily he had crossed it the day before.

"We should have the territory up to the stream," Starlingwing growled.

"And have Twolegs in our territory each greenleaf?" Tigerheart complained. "I don't know if we want that."

"It'd give us a better buffer," Starlingwing reasoned.

"Hush," Tawnypelt growled. "Didn't some cat teach you not to talk about sensitive Clan information right next to another Clan's territory?"

"Yeah," Starlingwing mewed. "You did."

Tawnypelt narrowed her eyes.

Starlingwing closed his mouth.

"There's another stream?" Hawkpaw asked, leaning towards Softpaw.

She nodded. "It's in ThunderClan territory. Snaketail said that we had it before, but not for very long," she replied. "It's bigger than the stream we just crossed. Snaketail said it was a nice chunk of territory."

Hawkpaw looked across the Twoleg path. ThunderClan's forests didn't start for some ways – there were more pine trees just beyond the path. Why was this not ShadowClan territory in the first place?

"Softpaw, should we be worried about Twolegs?" Tawnypelt asked.

Softpaw blinked and opened her jaws again. "No," she replied. "No Twoleg has been on this path today."

"Hawkpaw, care to give me a second opinion?"

Hawkpaw blinked nervously. He scented the air. The smell of Twoleg was still unfamiliar to him, but he could not smell any strong scents of it on the path. "There's no Twolegs here," he called.

"Good!" Tawnypelt meowed. "Starlingwing, Tigerheart, mark the borders."

As they went along, the two warriors sprayed markers on the borders, in the bushes along the Twoleg path. Hawkpaw watched the bushes, memorizing each one. He knew that when he was a warrior he would be doing the same.

Tawnypelt raised her tail suddenly, and the patrol stopped.

They were at the point where the Twoleg path split. One path led to the greenleaf Twolegplace, a place where hunting wasn't very good and in greenleaf Twolegs set up pelt-dens to sleep in. Snaketail had told stories of how their kits always chased warriors, so in greenleaf they stayed away from the place.

"I smell ThunderClan," Tawnypelt announced. "Fresh – a patrol. We'll wait for them and pass on news of the fox."

The patrol settled down in the sparse undergrowth. It didn't take long for the ThunderClan cats to appear and, for the first time, Hawkpaw saw warriors from an enemy Clan.

They were led by a dark ginger she-cat with a single white paw, her pelt like flame and her eyes like the leaves of the oak trees. Four warriors streamed behind her, along with one younger cat who appeared to be an apprentice.

"Tawnypelt," called the ginger she-cat. "Can we speak with you?"

Tawnypelt's eyes flashed. "Of course, Squirrelflight," she meowed.

Hawkpaw glanced at Softpaw. Squirrelflight? The deputy of ThunderClan?

Squirrelflight led her patrol across the Twoleg path, but not before scenting the area well. The ThunderClan patrol didn't seem too comfortable with being out in the open – their pelts bristled and their tails lashed, eyes glancing from side to side.

"We scented ShadowClan on our territory this morning," Squirrelflight meowed. "I've come to ask about it."

Hawkpaw froze, horror creeping up his spine.

"I don't know anything about that," Tawnypelt meowed. "My warriors stay on their side of the border."

"So do ours," a golden-brown tabby tom growled. "But that doesn't explain what my apprentice scented this morning."

"An apprentice is an apprentice, Thornclaw," Starlingwing chided. "Perhaps he made a mistake?"

The young white tom at the back of the patrol bristled, looking insulted. Thornclaw lashed his tail and growled, "Snowpaw wasn't the only one to scent it – I did too. And my nose works just fine."

Starlingwing snorted, but Tawnypelt shot him a look of silence.

"Listen," Squirrelflight mewed. "I just want to know if I should be worried."

"I wouldn't think we'd tell you," Tigerheart meowed. His eyes spread over the ThunderClan cats and landed on a pale gray she-cat with brightly-colored eyes. "You can find these things out for yourself. We're loyal to ShadowClan – we'd never reveal those secrets, even to friends."

"I've never spied on your Clan!" the gray she-cat snapped.

"How are we supposed to believe that?" Starlingwing growled. "ThunderClan thinks they're so great because three of their cats have special powers!"

"We do not!" a pale brown tabby snarled. "We don't need powers to fight our battles for us – let me show you just how strong we are!"

"Birchfall!" Squirrelflight snapped. "Enough!"

The tabby warrior backed down, but his eyes blazed with anger.

"We just came for answers," Squirrelflight meowed, her eyes narrowed. "If we're not going to get any, then we're not. We're going back to the camp."

Squirrelflight turned away.

"Wait!" Hawkpaw called.

Squirrelflight turned back.

"It was me," Hawkpaw meowed. His legs shook. "I… It was an accident. I didn't mean to do it – I was chasing a shrew."

Squirrelflight glanced between the other warriors in her party. Hawkpaw's heart pounded in his ears. He didn't dare look at his Clanmates. He didn't want to feel their anger and disappointment.

"I didn't catch the shrew, and I left as soon as I realized I was in your territory. It was a mistake," he insisted. "I'm sorry."

Squirrelflight blinked at him. It was a long silence, and then finally she meowed, "That's fine. Mistakes happen. Just don't do it again."

Hawkpaw's heart pounding in his ears as the ThunderClan cats left. The gray she-cat glanced back, only for a moment, to shoot a look at Tigerheart that Hawkpaw ignored.

Softpaw nudged him, and Hawkpaw turned back to the patrol. No warrior said a thing for some time.

Finally, Tawnypelt sighed and said, "I'll take Hawkpaw back to camp – the rest of you continue this patrol."

Hawkpaw watched Softpaw and the others leave without saying a word.

"I appreciate your honesty," Tawnypelt decided. "You should have told me earlier, though."

"I'm sorry," Hawkpaw murmured.

"We're going back to camp," Tawnypelt meowed. "You're cleaning out dens for the rest of the day."

"Of course," Hawkpaw sighed.

"You won't do this again?"

"I won't," he promised.

Tawnypelt eyed him. "No… I don't think you will."


	13. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_Evening held the forest in a_ warm grip. Maplepaw stretched out before the apprentice's den, wincing at the smarting in her paws. It already felt better – Jayfeather's medicine and her day of low activity had soothed her sore claws.

She was just getting ready to settle down to eat when the patrols returned. Squirrelflight's came first, storming the fresh-kill pile and grumbling to themselves. Dovewing didn't acknowledge Maplepaw when she picked up a rabbit and went to share it with Bumblestripe, a troubled look in her eyes. Snowpaw was bristling when he threw down his mouse.

"Stupid ShadowClan!" he growled.

"What happened?" Maplepaw asked.

"One of their apprentices ran across the border on accident!" Snowpaw spat. He dug his claws into the ground. "ShadowClan cats are such mouse-brains!"

_Accidents happen,_ Maplepaw thought. Yet she couldn't imagine making that sort of mistake – not unless the border markings were completely wiped clean. Even the youngest kit knew not to cross borders!

Snowpaw was tearing into his mouse. Swallowing his latest bite, he went on, "And those ShadowClan cats had the nerve to try and antagonize us! They accused Dovewing of spying on their Clan!"

"Mama would _never!"_ Maplepaw gasped. Dovewing, spy? It was unthinkable! Her powerful senses stayed trained on ThunderClan territory, just like Jayfeather healed ThunderClan cats and Lionblaze protected ThunderClan with his great strength. They used their powers for the good of their Clan!

"I know," Snowpaw agreed. He bristled a little more, and then added, "And they made fun of me – they said I couldn't scent properly."

Maplepaw watched him eat. Her own piece of fresh-kill remained untouched – but as soon as she bent her head to take a bite Bramblestar's patrol returned, fur bristling and tails lashing.

"I wonder what happened?" Snowpaw wondered, his mouth half-full of fresh-kill. "I'll get Dewpaw – you go see."

Maplepaw nodded and then trotted up to the patrol. Spottedpaw trailed at the end, tail low and pelt dusty. She looked up when Maplepaw approached.

"What happened?" Maplepaw asked.

"You'll hear it from Bramblestar," Spottedpaw answered, sighing. She sat down where she stood in the clearing. Most of the patrol did the same. Bramblestar was exchanging some quick words with Squirrelflight.

Maplepaw sniffed all along her friend's pelt. She failed to smell anything but the strange moorland scents – rabbit, heather, and tall grasses swaying in the breeze. She had been on WindClan territory. The patrol had had a reason to cross the border!

"There wasn't any fighting," Spottedpaw promised. "I'm just tired."

Maplepaw sat beside her friend, pressing their mottled pelts together. Bramblestar had finished his chat with Squirrelflight, and the two were now poised at the top of Highledge.

News of the patrols' return spread through the camp like wildfire, and by the time that Bramblestar was on the Highledge there was no need for an announcement – all the cats who could be out of their dens were, their eyes and ears poised intently for listening.

"Cats of ThunderClan, I'm sure you've already heard the news of Squirrelflight's patrol – for those who haven't, it was nothing to worry about immediately," Bramblestar began. "We'll keep an eye on the ShadowClan border, just in case; but the crossing was merely an apprentice being distracted by prey. Our real concern is WindClan."

"Definitely," grumbled Spiderleg. His tail was flicking, his spine bristling.

"WindClan, however… is having another issue," Bramblestar announced. "We found the prey that Millie's patrol had discovered this morning – and we followed its trail deep into WindClan territory. We encountered Ashfoot and a patrol doing the exact same thing. Some rogue has been leaving crow-food in WindClan territory, mixing scent trails and pinning the blame on other Clans."

"The piece that Ashfoot found was reeking of RiverClan," Brackenfur pointed out. "But it was a rabbit – every cat knows that RiverClan aren't fast enough to catch rabbits."

"RiverClan denied the claims," Bramblestar continued. "Ashfoot admitted that they had recently found traces of ThunderClan on another piece of prey earlier that day – they were investigating the connections."

"What did they find?" Poppyfrost demanded. "What would a rogue have to gain by fooling with Clan prey?"

"Crowfeather was on the patrol," Bramblestar announced. "He had been spending time analyzing the prey with Ashfoot – and he recognized the scent that lay beneath the rot."

"It was Breezepelt," Lionblaze stated.

"_Breezepelt?"_ gasped Poppyfrost. The hairs on the queen's neck rose, and her eyes went round. A ripple of shock spread through the gathered cats.

"Breezepelt?" Maplepaw repeated, confused. She'd heard the name a few times in kithood, but she didn't fully understand why some cat who had abandoned his Clan during the Great Battle was such a threat.

"He hates ThunderClan," Dovewing murmured.

Maplepaw blinked in shock at the feel of her mother's breath against her ear. "But why?" she asked.

"I'm sure he feels no love for any Clan anymore," Dovewing went on. "But he hates ThunderClan greatly. Breezepelt is Crowfeather's son, Maplepaw – he's not from the same litter as Lionblaze and Jayfeather, and he resents how they were treated with favor despite being the half-Clan kits of Leafpool."

"Breezepelt wasn't very liked in WindClan, either," admitted Lionblaze. The great golden tom was sitting near to Maplepaw and the apprentices. "He was an annoyance as an apprentice, but he was only like that because Crowfeather never paid him any attention. When the truth came out about Leafpool and Crowfeather, he joined the Dark Forest in the Great Battle and tried killing many cats from all the Clans – but he targeted ThunderClan and WindClan cats in particular."

"He's no Tigerstar, but he's dangerous enough," Bramblestar meowed over them all, "especially if he has allies."

"Could he, though?" Seedfur wondered.

"It's been long enough," Squirrelflight mewed. "He could have found allies anywhere."

"I don't know what he thinks he's getting at," Bramblestar sighed. "Jayfeather, has StarClan showed you anything?"

"Nothing about Breezepelt, no," Jayfeather meowed. "I was at the Moonpool just before Foxleap got sick again."

"I know," Bramblestar meowed. "I cannot ask you to go again, with Foxleap being sick."

"I can always help," Brightheart offered.

Bramblestar shook his head. "No – Breezepelt, if he has allies, might try something. I need my warriors here. I'll be going to the Moonpool tonight to see what StarClan has to say. If Breezepelt has rallied Dark Forest cats behind him, then we could need our ancestors' help again."

"What about Onestar?" asked Brackenfur. "Is he going, too?"

Bramblestar shook his head again. "No," he answered. "Onestar said he was going to take a party of warriors and try to track down Breezepelt's camp. Once found, he will send for a patrol of our warriors to help him drive out the traitor for good. I need you warriors here in case the message comes too soon. Squirrelflight is in charge."

"I'll get herbs ready then; just in case," Jayfeather decided.

_The Moonpool!_ Maplepaw thought. Her tail bristled. _Mapleshine wanted me to go to the Moonpool. Is this my chance? _It might very well be her only chance to go – she didn't know the way herself. She could follow Bramblestar and then…

_No… that's mouse-brained!_ She thought, shaking her head a little. _Bramblestar would notice me immediately! I'd get into trouble. I shouldn't sneak out…_ But she owed Mapleshine, and Maplepaw didn't want to go back on her promise.

"ThunderClan – be ready," Bramblestar meowed. "I want a watch placed on the camp – two cats to patrol around the camp in case one misses WindClan, and one in the clearing, as always."

"I'll do it," Cloudtail offered. "Berrynose, want to join me?"

"Sure," Maplepaw's cream-furred mentor meowed.

_I'm a terrible apprentice,_ Maplepaw thought, watching the two warriors get together. Berrynose had spent the day in camp, cooped up with Poppyfrost, instead of out training Maplepaw. Not that the warrior didn't seem to like paying attention to his mate, but he had other duties that Maplepaw was keeping him from.

"I'll keep watch inside the camp!" Lilyflight declared. "My eyes are sharp, Bramblestar!"

"Of course," Bramblestar meowed. "Everyone else, get some rest. I'll be leaving shortly."

The warriors began to disperse, gathering in excited groups to talk about what had happened and what might happen. Maplepaw sighed – with all this chatter, how was she supposed to get away?

"Maplepaw!"

It was as if StarClan itself was on her side.

Sandstorm was approached, her eyes narrowed.

"What is it?" Maplepaw asked.

"The moss you gathered for Dustpelt's nest wasn't dry – and now his back is sore!" Sandstorm snapped.

"I'm sorry," Maplepaw offered. She tried to explain how her wounded claws made it hard to roll the moss properly, but Sandstorm steamrolled her and carried on.

"Go and get some dry moss – before Dustpelt gets so stiff he can't even move!" Sandstorm sighed.

Maplepaw bristled in shock. Normally Sandstorm wasn't so snappy about things like this – had Maplepaw screwed up that bad? She backed away from the ginger elder and straight into Spottedpaw.

"Oof!" Spottedpaw gasped. "I heard that! Sandstorm isn't happy."

"Y-Yeah," Maplepaw stammered. "I… I should go get that moss." _I'll grab the moss, follow Bramblestar to the Moonpool, and then bring it back. It'll have plenty of time to dry! StarClan _must_ be on my side, to send Sandstorm at me like this._

"I'll come with you," Spottedpaw offered.

"No!" Maplepaw insisted. Her plan would be ruined if Spottedpaw was with her. No one was supposed to know about Mapleshine! Maplepaw had been too forceful - Spottedpaw looked confused.

"I mean…" Maplepaw mumbled, "If any cat is needed to fight, it won't be me. My claws are a mess. The best I can do is go get that moss."

Spottedpaw blinked at her friend, giving her a long look. Then, she shrugged and mewed, "If you insist – but don't take too long."

"I'll be back," Maplepaw said. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth. She didn't promise when she was going to be back… or if Bramblestar would let her come back in one piece.

Maplepaw could feel Mapleshine's presence near her. The starry warrior's voice whispered, _You'll be fine, sweet. Go and fulfill your promise to me._

_I will,_ Maplepaw promised inwardly.

As she padded out of the camp, though, she couldn't shake the feeling that something worse than Breezepelt's return was coming. Her pace quickened, as if it were looming behind her, following in her pawsteps.

By the time she was fully engulfed in the forest, she was pelting for the WindClan border.


	14. Chapter 12

**This next chapter was originally going to focus on Maplepaw too, but I decided against it because it didn't really flow right to have that and the next event happen right after one another like that. Plus, I needed this to happen.**

**And of course I'll keep writing! I love it just about as much as I love video games, drawing, living and breathing!**

**Now, as much as I don't support or condone (in any way, shape, or form) the way Crowfeather treated Breezepelt (or Nightcloud. _Especially_ Nightcloud; but that's not the subject right now), I don't support or condone what Breezepelt did because of it. Breezepelt became a real ass, and I can safely say he is up to nothing good at all - and he's obviously not the only one.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"_And then Blackstar and Leopardstar led RiverClan_ and ShadowClan to Fourtrees," Snaketail rambled. "There we met with ThunderClan and WindClan to fight BloodClan."

Patchkit gasped. "What happened next?" he demanded.

"Yeah!" Fuzzykit exclaimed. "Did you beat 'em?"

Snaketail let out a noise of exasperation. "Kits!" he grumbled. "Never letting me finish a story without barging in, asking questions!" Hawkpaw imagined the elder was twitching his whiskers. "You were like that too, Hawkpaw. Remember when you liked listening to our stories?"

Hawkpaw rolled his eyes. Sure, he had indulged in elders' stories, same as any kit – but it hadn't been only Snaketail then. Tallpoppy, an older queen, had been there too. She had been less grumpy than Snaketail, and she had made the stories seem more exciting – of course, anything about great battles sounded exciting to a kit, regardless of who it was told by. But when Tallpoppy went to StarClan after seasons of age, Hawkpaw had found the stories less and less enjoyable.

Paws busy rolling up moss – he was good at it by now – Hawkpaw replied, "Yeah… but I've heard all those stories."

"Well don't spoil it for the kits!" Snaketail snapped. "That's no fun!"

Hawkpaw rolled his eyes again. Tawnypelt had assigned him to clean the elder's den when they had returned from meeting the ThunderClan patrol. She had acknowledged that what he had done was an accident, but he still needed a punishment – and this was it.

_Jeez… why did I have to be such a frog-brain?_ Hawkpaw thought. _I could have finished that patrol…_

"Blackstar didn't lead the battle?" Fuzzykit complained. The disappointment in her voice was audible. "You're lying!"

"He was Blackfoot then," Snaketail explained. "And he and Leopardstar didn't feel good about leading anything after Tigerstar died. Tallstar deferred to Firestar, too; ThunderClan's new leader."

"Of course they did," grumbled Mottlekit. "WindClan has _always_ been ThunderClan's ally…"

"That's not been the case as of recently," Snaketail countered. "When Onestar became leader of WindClan, they finally grew a backbone."

The elder huffed. "Now, then… if you kits will stop interrupting me, I'll continue my story." Snaketail took a breath. "So Firestar led us against BloodClan. Many warriors were lost that day – good, noble cats from all Clans. The fighting seemed like it was going to go on forever, until Firestar slew Scourge, the leader of BloodClan, and they fled."

"This story sounds like it's about ThunderClan," Fuzzykit groaned. "Can't we have a story about _us?"_

"Yeah," agreed Patchkit. "ThunderClan does _everything."_

"True," Snaketail agreed. "They do stick their noses in where it doesn't belong most of the time. But that was still an important story, despite ThunderClan being the focus – that was the first time in living memory all four Clans worked together to drive out a threat as big as BloodClan. It wasn't the first time all four Clans would work together, either."

Hawkpaw rolled in a ball of fresh moss from outside and began spreading it in the den.

"Tell us another one!" demanded Fuzzykit. "Something about _ShadowClan!"_

"Yeah, yeah!" agreed Mottlekit and Patchkit.

Snaketail rolled his eyes as he moved to accommodate Hawkpaw. The apprentice spread moss on the ground where the old tom had been laying, making sure it was thick and soft. He fluffed it into a nest.

"It had better be dry!" Snaketail complained. The old tom lumbered over to the nest and began circling.

"It is," Hawkpaw promised.

Snaketail grunted. "A bit stiff, but doable," he grumbled.

Hawkpaw flicked an ear crossly. Were elders _ever_ satisfied?

Snaketail began telling another story as Hawkpaw spread the rest of the moss across the den. It was an empty den for sure, but there were plenty of ShadowClan warriors who were beginning to feel age gnawing at their bones. Soon enough the elder's den would be full again.

_Hopefully I'm a warrior by then,_ Hawkpaw thought. _So I don't have to clean it._

Finished, Hawkpaw dusted his paws off and rolled the dirty bedding out of the den. He followed them and stretched when he left the den, grateful to smell fresher air. Hunkering down in the elders' den always made his back ache.

He began rolling the dirty moss towards the dirtplace, tucked away in an isolated corner of the camp. When that was done, he wanted nothing more than to roll around in the nearest stream – but when he padded out of the dirtplace, he found that the Clan had gathered beneath the moonlight.

Hawkpaw padded up to the other apprentices, who were looking at the center of the camp with wide, sad eyes.

"What's going on?" Hawkpaw asked, looking at Softpaw.

She didn't reply. Hawkpaw followed her gaze, and the gazes of all the other mourning warriors, and his heart sank.

Littlecloud was dead.

The small tabby tom lay in the clearing, his limbs folded gently and his pelt smelling of lavender. Moonlight touched his pelt, gentle and friendly. Rowanstar and Tawnypelt sat beside him, tails twined together in grief, with Leafpool and Mistpaw flanking them on either side. Mistpaw's eyes were wide, choked with sadness.

"He died peacefully," Leafpool promised. "In his sleep, StarClan claimed him."

"Oh Littlecloud," Tawnypelt murmured. "ShadowClan will not be the same without you…"

"He was the medicine cat for such a long time," Rowanstar added. "Blackstar trusted every word he said. He has seen and done so much… his memory will live on in our Clan forever."

"Runningnose loved him," Ratscar put in. "I remember him saying that he couldn't have asked for a better, more attentive apprentice than Littlecloud."

"He was gentle with patients and knew more herbs than there are stars in the sky," Leafpool finished. "StarClan will welcome him with open arms and he will be among his oldest friends."

Hawkpaw's heart tightened. Littlecloud was gone, and suddenly memories began flashing through him. Memories of Littlecloud treating him when he was ill; of Hawkpaw fetching him from his den when Applefur began kitting; of Hawkpaw accidentally eating a poppy seed and waking up in his den, being gently cared for… Littlecloud never once looked at him with scorn because he hadn't been born in ShadowClan. When Hawkpaw, as a young kit, asked why Littlecloud didn't act that way, the old tabby had replied, "There are worse things to be than not-Clanborn, little Hawkkit. As much as we don't like cats without Clan blood, some of those warriors would be shocked to learn how many of them aren't purely Clanborn, either. When they tease you, remember that once a kittypet, born and bred, became one of the greatest leaders the four Clans had ever known."

_I'll miss you,_ Hawkpaw thought. _Find your friends in StarClan, Littlecloud. You've earned this rest._

"We will hold vigil tonight," Rowanstar announced, "and then bury him at sunrise."

Rowanstar settled down, Tawnypelt beside him. The ShadowClan leader pushed his nose into the old medicine cat's fur, his eyes closed with concentration, as if he were trying to see Littlecloud again. Leafpool, Tawnypelt, Mistpaw, and the other cats who knew Littlecloud better than most settled around him in a similar way. Other cats pushed their nose into his fur, groomed his ears and tail, and murmured good-byes.

Hawkpaw padded up to the body. It was finally his turn. Littlecloud looked so peaceful, his eyes shut and his expression painless. Hawkpaw licked the tom between the ears and murmured, "Thank you, for everything."

He padded back to the apprentice's den. The others were there, sharing tongues in relative silence inside the den. When Hawkpaw clambered in, Softpaw was near him and she began to groom his ears.

"You… had a bit of moss here," she explained.

Hawkpaw didn't question her.

"So, who will be our new medicine cat?" Milkpaw asked, pressing near Sparrowpaw. "Mistpaw hasn't completed her training!"

"Leafpool might have to take his place until her training is finished," Nightpaw pointed out. "If Rowanstar asks her, she can't really say no."

"I don't know about you, but I don't like the idea that _Leafpool_ will be our medicine cat," Sparrowpaw growled. "She betrayed her Clan and ran off with a WindClan cat to have his kits! She broke the medicine cat code and lied about it for seasons. She doesn't deserve the position."

"She might not deserve it," Hawkpaw grunted, "but we need a medicine cat. I'd rather have Leafpool than no one."

Sparrowpaw curled his lip. "You _would_ say that," he growled.

Hawkpaw bristled. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" he demanded.

Sparrowpaw lashed his tail. "I mean that of course _you_ would have sympathy for her. You're not Clanborn – loyalty to the warrior code is something only _Clanborn_ cats can understand," he sneered.

Hawkpaw shifted in his nest, sitting up. He felt anger boiling up inside of him, and he slid out his claws.

Softpaw touched her nose to his shoulder and murmured, "Hawkpaw, don't… he's just egging you on…"

Hawkpaw turned away and left the den. Softpaw was right – it would do no good to attack Sparrowpaw, even if he was wrong. He padded into the clearing and sat down, curling his tail around his paws. He was exhausted from the training, the patrol, and cleaning out the dens. He wanted to sleep, but he wouldn't go back into the den while Sparrowpaw was still there, awake and spouting garbage.

"Something's upset you," mewed Tigerheart. "I can tell by the way your neck fur's bristling."

Hawkpaw sighed, lowering his fur. "Sparrowpaw's being a jerk," he growled. Tigerheart sat beside him, tail wrapping around his paws.

"Ignore him," Tigerheart advised. "It's hard to earn the respect of the Clan. I'm half-ThunderClan, and my name is _Tiger_heart. How hard do you think it was for me?"

Hawkpaw blinked. "OK, I'll give you that," he agreed. He scuffed a paw. "I'm not mad about being not-Clanborn, Tigerheart. I just wish other cats would just stop pestering me about it."

"Well, they won't," Tigerheart told him frankly. "It's part of who you are, and that won't be going away any time soon. Work hard, and you'll earn their respect one day. Anyway, I hear you were cleaning dens?"

Hawkpaw nodded.

"Sorry," Tigerheart sighed. "I was going to tell Tawnypelt to go easy on you since it was just a mistake, but you two left before I could say anything. I suppose den-duty is easy enough, but every cat makes a mistake like that, especially when ThunderClan-scent is so familiar to us."

Hawkpaw mumbled, "It's OK."

He took a deep breath, and then asked, "There's no place for us to make a different camp, is there?"

Tigerheart's whiskers twitched. "No," he replied. He didn't bother lying about it.

"So there's going to be a fight?" Hawkpaw asked.

"Possibly," Tigerheart answered. "Rowanstar is going to try and negotiate things as peacefully as possible… but if ThunderClan doesn't want to give up that territory to us, we'll have to fight for it. He's going to take a patrol there tomorrow and then ask for an answer by the next Gathering. He figures it's the best way to get a response without immediately shedding blood."

Hawkpaw glanced at the body of Littlecloud. Shedding blood when their medicine cat was dead would not be a good idea.

"I was wondering if you'd like to tag along on that patrol," Tigerheart asked.

"Would I!" Hawkpaw gasped. "Of course I'd like to go!"

Tigerheart purred. "Then you'd better get some rest. We're leaving by sunhigh, and you've had quite a long day."

Hawkpaw purred, and he couldn't resist putting a little spring in his step as he padded into the den again. Sparrowpaw was asleep, and Milkpaw and Nightpaw were too. Softpaw was just settling down, and her eyes were closed as soon as Hawkpaw got into his nest.

Littlecloud's death was a sad thing, yes, and so was being unable to find a new camp for the Clan – but Hawkpaw was finally beginning to see things looking up for him. As he settled down for his rest, he breathed, "Thank you, Tigerheart…"


	15. Chapter 13

**... Cats have arms... just not arms like we do. It's better than saying "StarClan will welcome him with open legs", that's for sure.**

**I know this scene seems quick and rushed, but there's a reason for that and it will come up later.**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

_Maplepaw crept into the undergrowth, hiding_ beneath a fragrant tansy plant. She hoped that her mottled pelt would be enough to hide herself from her own Clan leader, and she tried using the leafier bits to disguise her white patches.

Crickets and insects began to chirp and buzz as night fell. The air was cool and breezeless, which Maplepaw thanked StarClan for. Her heart was pounding in her ears.

_What am I doing?_ She thought. _Not only am I sneaking after my leader, I'm disobeying my elders!_ Bramblestar was going to shred her for kit bedding if she was caught.

As if her thoughts had summoned him, the dark tabby tom was padding through the trees. His huge paws fit easily into the well-trodden trails that ThunderClan made through the forest. His amber eyes flashed, but they did not focus on her. Maplepaw shrank herself down as much as possible, wishing she could be invisible.

Bramblestar passed on, plodding through the undergrowth as if she weren't there. He was going at a quick pace, his scent lingering strongly in the air. Maplepaw breathed it in, sticking her head out of the tansy. As long as there was a trail for her to follow, she could wait as long as it took to follow him.

She waited until Bramblestar was out of sight before she crept out of her hiding place. The smell of tansy clogged her senses, but as she followed Bramblestar's trail it began to dissipate. Soon enough all she could smell were the scents of the forest and her leader.

The ground began to slope upward as she neared the WindClan border. So far, there were no signs of Bramblestar but his scent, which was leading her up and up and up, until she got to the border between the two Clans.

Maplepaw set her paws along the babbling stream, following Bramblestar's scent as it followed the water upstream. The further she went, the higher she was going – and the less trees there were. Bramblestar's scent cross the stream, using a few well-placed stones, and Maplepaw did her best to copy him.

She mistimed the last jump and her back legs fell ungracefully into the stream. Hissing with frustration, she pulled herself out and shook her coat. Cold air touched the wet skin and fur and Maplepaw shivered.

_I have to keep going,_ she told herself, over and over. _For Mapleshine._

Maplepaw had no idea where she was. Moonhigh light streamed down onto the landscape, highlighting rock and bush and ground. There was no defining territorial scent here, no hints as to where she really was. The stream and Bramblestar's scent led her up and up, until the ground stopped rising and Maplepaw was facing the rocky hollow that contained the mystical Moonpool.

Bramblestar was already there, crouching beside the pool. He took a drink, laid down, and closed his eyes.

Maplepaw waited until her legs ached with cold. Bramblestar's breathing was regular and smooth, like any sleeping cats'.

_He's in a trance,_ she realized. Mapelpaw had heard stories of leaders and medicine cats sleeping beside the Moonpool and having special dreams because of it. She never thought she would see it for herself.

Maplepaw dropped into a crouch and did her best to hide herself into a clump of bracken at the top of the hollow. She didn't know what Mapleshine wanted her to do when she got here, but it probably didn't include Bramblestar.

She turned herself about and began grooming her wet fur, casting anxious glances down at the Moonpool. It shone brilliantly in the moonlight, reflecting the starlit sky back at Maplepaw. Occasionally it would ripple, but there was no wind to cause it. Bramblestar's shape was outlined in starlight as he slept, his chin touching the pool.

Maplepaw tried to stay awake, but tiredness dragged at her pelt and eventually, she laid her head down on her paws.

* * *

"Congratulations," Mapleshine's voice purred. "You made it."

Maplepaw blinked open her eyes. She stood in the dank, dreary forest, Mapleshine's faded form standing before her. The tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat's eyes glimmered.

"I'm at the Moonpool," Maplepaw told her. "What did you want me to do?"

Mapleshine blinked. "How are your paws?" she asked.

Maplepaw looked down. Why change the subject? She pressed against her paws, unsheathing her claws. "Feeling better, I guess," she replied.

"You'll be able to begin training again soon?" Mapleshine asked.

Maplepaw nodded.

"Good," Mapleshine decided. "I have great plans for you, Maplepaw. You're going to be an amazing warrior."

"Thank you," Maplepaw mewed, gratitude in her voice. "But why me?"

Mapleshine's eyes drifted along Maplepaw, as if the she-cat were taking in the apprentice's details. "You remind me of myself when I was younger," she replied simply. "A young cat with a lot of potential… and a lot of things holding her back."

Maplepaw felt a bit of pride at that. She kneaded her paws into the ground and asked again, "What did you want me to do here?"

Mapleshine blinked again. "You'll see," she answered. "Something important is going to happen here, and you needed to be part of it."

"I don't like lying to my Clan," Maplepaw admitted. "Isn't there an easier way?"

The older warrior shook her head. "No," she said firmly. "If you go around telling your friends that you're getting special training, then they'll want it too. I won't have any time for you! Which would be a shame – you're my favorite student."

Her voice was sweet as honey and it melted into Maplepaw, quelling her doubts. So long as she was training with Mapleshine she would do great things – but there would be a price.

"I don't see what's so great about this, though," Maplepaw admitted. "I just stalked my leader, disobeyed an elder, and I'm going to get caught as soon as Bramblestar wakes up. Is that what my great favor is? Getting yelled at?"

Mapleshine's eyes sparkled. "No," she insisted. "My dear Maplepaw, have faith in me – you won't get into trouble tonight."

Maplepaw sighed. "OK," she meowed. She trusted Mapleshine – she had to. Who else was going to make sure that she didn't become just another face in the crowd of her Clan? Who else would teach her how to make meaningful contributions?

"Wake up dear," Mapleshine said suddenly. "Your time is coming."

"What am I supposed to do?" Maplepaw wondered, her fur bristling as Mapleshine and the dark woods began to fade.

"You'll know," Mapleshine promised, before fading away completely. "You'll know."

* * *

Maplepaw blinked open her eyes to find herself back in the bracken. She was cold and shivering in the dark – the moonlight was fading, and sunrise would not be far off.

Below, in the crevice of the Moonpool, Bramblestar was stirring. Maplepaw craned her neck to see what would happen when he woke – would he notice her immediately? Her stomach trembled.

Suddenly a breeze blew through from the uplands. It carried the scents of far-off places towards Maplepaw. When she opened her jaws, she recoiled – those upland scents smelled disgustingly like crow-food.

Gagging, Maplepaw looked down at the Moonpool. Bramblestar was stirring from his dream, but he wasn't fully awake – and behind him a dark shadow was prowling.

It was a cat – a tom – who smelled like crow-food and rabbits. His dark pelt was matted and patchy, ungroomed for moons. His eyes glowed with hunger and hatred. Maplepaw saw the gleam of claws as he approached Bramblestar.

_He's going to attack Bramblestar!_ Maplepaw thought, horrified.

Bramblestar's eyes flickered open as the dark warrior leaped. The tabby tom wasn't exactly ready for the attack, and the black tom overwhelmed the ThunderClan leader easily. Stones scattered as claws and teeth flashed, the howling of fighting cats bouncing off of the walls of the Moonpool's hollow.

"Breezepelt!" snarled Bramblestar. "You traitor!"

_Breezepelt!_ Maplepaw thought.

Bramblestar sent the former warrior away with a slap to the face with one huge forepaw. Breezepelt staggered, but was not stunned.

"How dare you show your face here!" Bramblestar howled, leaping onto Breezepelt.

"I'll do as I please," Breezepelt snapped, slipping beneath Bramblestar's hugeness easily. The black tom scored his claws along the ThunderClan leader's haunches. "I'd like to see you stop me, ThunderClan scum!"

"I'm scum?" Bramblestar growled, whirling about. Long, hooked claws dug into Breezepelt's pelt. "Says the cat who betrayed his Clan and kin for false promises of power!"

"Clan?" Breezepelt scoffed. _"Kin?"_ He dodged Bramblestar's blows with the skill of a cat who was not as starved as he. He lashed his claws against Bramblestar's face, catching on his ear. Bramblestar backed away, scarlet droplets pattering on the ground. "I would have had all of that had that ThunderClan piece of _fox-dung_ not broken every code there was!"

"You're still on about that?" Bramblestar growled, obviously fed up. He shook his head, scattering blood across the hollow. "Don't you think it's time to move on?"

Breezepelt bristled. "Shut up," he snarled.

Maplepaw watched as the two cats wrestled next to the sacred Moonpool. Bramblestar was trying to push Breezepelt out of the area, but Breezepelt's smaller size and quicker attacks kept the ThunderClan leader on the defensive. Slowly but surely, claw-strike by claw-strike, Bramblestar was backed into a corner. He was up to his belly fur in the water of the Moonpool, with only stone walls around him and Breezepelt's furious claws before him. Blood from the leader dripped into the pool.

Finally, Breezepelt let out howl of rage. He seemed to grow to twice his size as he leaped, pinning Bramblestar down into the water with his paws at the leader's throat. Bramblestar's head was forced below the water. Maplepaw watched in horror as the ThunderClan leader struggled to breathe, bubbles and froth foaming from his mouth whenever he managed to pull himself out.

Breezepelt forced him back down each him, his eyes brightening as Bramblestar's struggles grew weaker and weaker.

"That's it Bramblestar – drown! Die, and then die again and again!" he crowed. "I'll be revenged on you all for siding with _Crowfeather_ over me! For rewarding Leafpool when she should have been banished for what she did! For demonizing my mother!"

Maplepaw could take it no longer. Whatever was between Breezepelt and the rest of the world, she could not stand by while he attempted to drown her leader in front of her eyes.

With a cry, she burst from the bracken. She leaped from the edge of the hollow, air beneath her paws for a split second.

It was replaced by matted fur as she landed directly on top of Breezepelt. The black tom was torn from Bramblestar, and his head slammed against the rocky hollow walls with a dull _thud._

The two of them fell into the deeper waters of the Moonpool, and Maplepaw, mouth filling with water, struggled to get her bearings. She felt Breezepelt's legs tangle with her own, and she splashed frantically to free herself. Stones met her paws, but she couldn't settle them at the bottom without going under herself.

Teeth met the scruff of her neck as the waters began to swirl and darken. Maplepaw went limp, lungs aching, and allowed Bramblestar to pull her onto the shore, where she coughed and retched up a mouthful of starlit water.

"M… Maplepaw…" he gasped as he put her down. His amber eyes were wide, reflecting the light that was flooding into theworld. "What in StarClan's name are you doing here?"

Maplepaw couldn't reply – her throat was aching from the retching. She looked up at Bramblestar, pleading with her eyes.

The huge leader shook his head, droplets spinning off of his face. "No… I… I'm not questioning this right now. Without you I would be in a lot more trouble. Thank you."

Maplepaw panted. She pushed herself up and, with some help from Bramblestar, stood on her shaking legs. Her paws hurt, unbalanced on the dimpled ground. None of the pawmarks fit her paws.

Horror gripped her as she looked out over the Moonpool. The sun was rising, bathing it in a fiery red-orange glow… which was turned even redder by the blood of Breezepelt. The sodden black tom's body was floating in the pool, still as a stick, his eyes lifeless and his jaws open. Blood leaked from a grievous head wound.

"He's dead," Maplepaw whispered, horrified. "I…"

"It was an accident," Bramblestar rasped. "Wasn't it?"

Maplepaw recalled feeling Breezepelt's body crumple beneath her. Her weight pushed his head against the rocks on the sheer sides of the hollow. That _thud_ must have been his head dashing against the stony hollow walls! Her stomach clenched.

"I… I didn't mean to…" Her throat was tight.

"StarClan warned me of strange happenings," Bramblestar growled. "Of a great darkness coming from within the Clans, attempting to swallow them whole."

Maplepaw looked up at him, terror gripping her limbs. What did any of that mean?

"They showed me little. Too little," Bramblestar went on. "All of it made no sense."

The huge tabby tom glanced at her. "But I saw you," he said.

_Me?_ Maplepaw thought.

Bramblestar's amber eyes flashed. He ventured back into the water, grabbing Breezepelt's body by the scruff of his neck. He dragged the sodden black tom out of the water and laid him down at the shore of the Moonpool.

"He does not deserve a warrior's burial," Bramblestar decided. "We'll take him out of this sacred place and then head home. A patrol must be sent to tell Onestar."

Maplepaw only nodded numbly. Bramblestar picked up Breezepelt's body in his jaws and the two padded out of the hollow.

Hesitating, Maplepaw looked back.

The Moonpool was red as blood.

Horror made Maplepaw blink – when her eyes reopened, the Moonpool was as it had been: still, clear, and blue.


	16. Chapter 14

**Strangely enough, I have not yet been able to find Yellowfang's Secret in my area. A quick Wiki search spoiled me to his family, though. Don't worry about that!**

**"StarClan will welcome him with open forelimbs..." ... pfft. Sorry, I can't help but chuckle at the sound of that. I dunno, I figure if the cats say stuff like "hand me this or that" then it's probably OK. They're heavily humanized, after all.**

**Also, this is a really short chapter. Not sure how it turned out that way but it did.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

_Morning dew brushed against Hawkpaw's pelt._ The sun was beginning to burn off the water from the growing foliage as the patrol padded through the woods towards ThunderClan territory. Hawkpaw had woken up feeling well-rested just in time to see the cats who had buried Littlecloud return from their task. He had left the somber air of the camp quickly, though – the patrol needed to go out as soon as possible.

Rowanstar was at its head, with Tawnypelt padding beside him. Hawkpaw stuck near the back, conscious that the only reason he had been brought along was because Tigerheart had recommended him. Tigerheart himself was trotting alongside Toadfoot, Ratscar, and Kinkfur. Unfortunately, Ratscar's apprentice Sparrowpaw just had to come too – Hawkpaw was doing his best to avoid him.

"Forgive me, Rowanstar… but do you really think that this is going to work?" Ratscar asked. "Do you really think that Bramblestar is going to hand us the territory without a fight? They've given us one of their medicine cats! If anything, we owe them."

"ShadowClan is in debt to no Clan," Rowanstar insisted. His neck fur was bristling at the thought. "You forget that we had that territory before – Firestar gave it to us, and he wrongfully took it back. At the cost of Russetfur's life, no less! We have every right to ask for it back."

"Besides," Tawnypelt muttered, "we have no other choice. We can't find a new camping place – we need this territory. There's a high chance ThunderClan will deny it to us…"

"But if we make it sound like fighting us for that territory would be a bad idea then they won't," Rowanstar finished. "Not to mention the fact that the territory had been gifted to us before Firestar wrongfully took it away. If Bramblestar doesn't give it back, not only will I be insulted, but it would be something worth fighting for."

Hawkpaw couldn't help but feel a prickle of doubt. ShadowClan was a Clan that asked for nothing from any cat… so why couldn't they just take the territory if it had been theirs to begin with?

Rowanstar led the patrol through the undergrowth and into ThunderClan territory.

"I must ask," muttered Toadfoot. "Was it a good idea to bring apprentices? If it comes to a fight they'll be nothing but a liability."

Hawkpaw's neck fur rose, and Sparrowpaw lashed his tail. At least this they could agree on – they were no liability!

"We brought them because of that," Rowanstar replied, keeping his voice low. They were in enemy territory, and ThunderClan were good at hiding in the underbrush. "ThunderClan are mousehearts – they would never violently chase us out of camp if they saw two apprentices with our group. It makes us seem less like a battle party and more like a diplomatic patrol."

"Hush all of you," Tawnypelt ordered. "We're in ThunderClan territory now. There are bound to be hunters about."

Hawkpaw opened his jaws, but he scented nothing but the cloying smells of the growing world. The trees blocked off nearly all light, and it was cool and quiet in the forest. Hawkpaw found himself stumbling and fumbling in the dense territory, until finally a bramble bush caught his flanks in its thorns.

"I'd much rather run into a patrol than just barge into their camp," Tawnypelt admitted. "It would seem less rude." The patrol was padding off without him, none of them having noticed he'd gotten caught in a bush.

"How can they walk around in this stuff?" Hawkpaw wondered to himself. He pulled, but the thorns tugged at his pelt and dug into his skin. He looked towards the patrol, but found that they were long gone. If he called out, he would attract too much attention.

Hawkpaw, frustrated, began trying to wiggle his haunches out of the tangle – but to no avail. His eyes watered as the thorns dug into his skin.

"Need some help?"

"No, I'm fine," he grunted.

Hawkpaw struggled for another few heartbeats before he froze. He didn't know that voice! He turned his head and saw three lean-bodied ThunderClan cats standing behind him, their whiskers twitching with amusement.

Ears burning, he tried to explain himself but nothing left his throat but a squeak.

"So tell us," a pure white she-cat began. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting stuck," Hawkpaw complained.

The white she-cat narrowed her eyes. "There's more of them," she decided. Nodding to a fluffy ginger tabby, she ordered, "Go catch up to them. Find out what they're after." The other she-cat nodded and took off.

Her other companion, a sturdy gray-and-white tom, mewed, "I'm going to warn the camp and get a backup patrol ready to defend the hollow."

The white she-cat nodded her approval, and the tom sped off through the undergrowth, traversing it as if he were a mouse. That left the she-cat and Hawkpaw alone.

"I'm Icecloud," the white she-cat mewed.

"Hawkpaw," Hawkpaw replied. "I'm with a patrol of ShadowClan cats… we're not here to fight!"

"We'll see about that," Icecloud decided.

Icecloud padded up to him and, with her teeth, untangled him from his brambly prison. Hawkpaw wriggled free easily, and his ears burned more after realizing how easy it was to escape.

"Let's find this patrol of yours," Icecloud meowed. "I'm warning you – stick close to me, or you'll have more than scratchy thorns in your pelt to think about."

Hawkpaw sighed, and then began following her through the undergrowth. His mind raced, but the only thought that came to the surface was the clear, certain realization that he was, in fact, a frog-brain._  
_


	17. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"_Maplepaw – where have you been?" Berrynose_ demanded.

Maplepaw looked up at him. Her paws were muddy, her legs stiff and sore, and she was sure her pelt still smelled of water. She swallowed – there was no way she could explain why she had been out of camp the entire night to any cat.

Berrynose's neck fur was bristling. "Sandstorm said you were supposed to fetch her moss," he growled. "When you didn't, she came to me – and when I went to look for you Spottedpaw said that you had gone and not come back yet! Dovewing and Bumblestripe have been beside themselves!"

Maplepaw blinked, slowly. _How do I reply?_ She wondered. _What can I say that he'll believe?_

"Berrynose, get Amberpaw and Snowpaw and deal with what you find outside of camp."

_Bramblestar!_ Maplepaw had forgotten about him. Bramblestar had dragged Breezepelt all the way back to the ThunderClan camp, and now he had pushed his way through the thorn barrier. Berrynose's eyes went wide – Maplepaw thought she had looked bad, but Bramblestar looked worse. His pelt was clinging to his bones; his eyes were sunken and tired. He dragged his massive paws as he padded into the camp.

Berrynose flicked his ears. "O-Of course, Bramblestar… Anything else?"

"Get me Squirrelflight," Bramblestar ordered. "And Jayfeather." He turned his big head to Maplepaw. "Get some sleep, Maplepaw. You don't have to answer any questions if you don't want to."

Maplepaw opened her mouth, but she knew that she was too tired to say anything. She turned and headed towards the apprentice's den.

"Maplepaw?"

It was Spottedpaw. Maplepaw turned her head to tiredly look at her friend.

"Maplepaw, what happened?" Spottedpaw asked. The worry in her eyes was genuine. "Where were you?"

"I'll…" Maplepaw breathed, "I'll explain later."

"But…"

Maplepaw sighed and padded into the den. It was relatively empty, with only Dewpaw inside sleeping. She huddled up in her nest and sighed before closing her eyes. Exhaustion took over immediately, and blackness swept over her as she fell asleep…

… only to be woken moments later by a persistent, jabbing paw.

Maplepaw's eyes blinked open.

Spottedpaw was there.

"Buh…" Maplepaw mumbled.

"Bramblestar's called a Clan meeting. ShadowClan's here," Spottedpaw mewed, an apology in her voice. "You should probably wake up for this."

"Oh… uh…" Maplepaw slurred tiredly. "OK."

Maplepaw pushed herself up out of her nest, reluctantly of course, and padded out into camp. Harsh sunlight caused her to flinch – it was past sunhigh, and warmth filled the air. The glare of the light and the smell of ShadowClan caused Maplepaw to wake up. It cleared her slightly fuzzy head a little more.

She followed Spottedpaw into the gathered crowd of ThunderClan cats and settled beside her. She leaned slightly against Spottedpaw's shoulder, still feeling tired.

In the center of the crowd was a patrol of ShadowClan cats. Guarded ThunderClan warriors ringed them. Thornclaw was pacing back and forth, tail flicking from side to side. Molepelt's neck fur was bristling. Lilyflight and Rosepetal were sitting together, whispering amongst themselves and casting suspicious glances at the ShadowClan cats.

"Rowanstar's here," Spottedpaw murmured. "This must be serious."

Bramblestar padded out onto the Highledge, Squirrelflight at his side. Maplepaw looked up at him – he obviously got no sleep, and his paws were still dirty. He did not meet her gaze. Jayfeather ghosted out from behind them, padding down the stony steps until he was on the ground. Lionblaze met him there and the brothers padded into the crowd.

Maplepaw sighed. After the night she'd had all she wanted was a peaceful, normal day started with plenty of rest.

"Rowanstar," Bramblestar began. He was doing good about keeping his recent attack secret. Maplepaw knew she had to do the same. "What is it you want?"

"Bramblestar," Rowanstar meowed. "I will not bother dancing around this subject. Not long ago Firestar gifted us a piece of territory, and then took it back in a wrongful battle that took the life of our former deputy Russetfur. I am here to take it back."

The Clan erupted into a furious murmur.

"Take it back?" muttered Cloudtail to Brightheart. "Haven't we given them enough?"

"This isn't like ShadowClan at all!" exclaimed Sandstorm, her tail flicking. Graystripe and Dustpelt were nodding in agreement, and Dustpelt added, "Why would they _ask?_ Why not just _take_ it, like they always do?"

"Bramblestar better not give it up," grumbled Thornclaw. "If he does…"

Maplepaw glanced at her mother. She was sitting between Lionblaze and Bumblestripe, her green eyes focused on the ShadowClan patrol as if she, like Jayfeather, could hear their thoughts and feel their feelings. Maplepaw didn't really recognize the cats – two were obviously apprentices, and one of those was at least as young as she was. Dovewing was keeping any eye on them – the slightest bit of movement towards threatening the Clan, and she would alert them.

"I hear what you are asking, Rowanstar," Bramblestar meowed. The Clan's murmurings settled around him. "That battle was indeed unjust, but I cannot simply hand you a piece of territory that we have taken back."

"It belonged to us first!" one of the ShadowClan warriors insisted. The deputy Tawnypelt raised her tail for their silence.

"I am aware of that," Bramblestar mewed. "But my Clan is growing, and we need all our territory to feed ourselves."

Rowanstar flicked his ear. Maplepaw eyed the dark ginger tom. He was a new leader, and that was about all she knew of him. He eyed the ThunderClan cats around him – he was greatly outnumbered, and he was aware of that.

"Bramblestar, I will be blunt," Rowanstar growled. "I do not _ask_ for the territory. ShadowClan needs it, and we will take it by force if we must – but we would rather not cause fighting so soon after the Great Battle."

"What are you saying?" Bramblestar wondered.

"I am saying that if the border markings are not changed by the next Gathering, ShadowClan will change them ourselves… and we will fight for them," Rowanstar replied frankly. "We would rather not spill blood – but if you desire a fight, ShadowClan will give it. Discuss it with your Clan – but by the next Gathering, the border _will_ be moved. It will be your choice whether you want to cause a fight because of it."

Bramblestar sighed, flicking an ear. "Is that all?" he asked.

"Yes," Rowanstar meowed.

"I will give your proposition some consideration," Bramblestar promised. "For now, return to your camp. Brackenfur, provide them an escort."

"Of course, Bramblestar," the golden-brown warrior replied.

"We don't require an escort," Rowanstar growled.

"I insist," Bramblestar said.

Rowanstar grumbled. Brackenfur raised his tail and selected a few cats – Millie, Seedfur, Toadstep, and Dewpaw – and as quickly as they had come, the ShadowClan cats were gone.

Maplepaw pushed herself off of Spottedpaw and watched as the Clan reformed, looking up at Bramblestar expectantly.

"You're not seriously going to give in to their demands, are you?" Thornclaw asked.

"I'm going to give it some thought before I do anything," Bramblestar promised. "For now, though, there are other things to talk about."

"Yes," Brightheart agreed. "How did your meeting with StarClan go? Did they say anything?"

Bramblestar's eyes flashed at Maplepaw for a brief moment. It was so brief that Maplepaw wondered if it was just a trick of her sleep-addled mind. Bramblestar took a deep breath and announced: "StarClan's message was jumbled and hard to decipher. It had little to do with Breezepelt… and speaking of him, Breezepelt attacked me while I was at the Moonpool."

A gasp went up from the Clan cats.

"How dare he!" exclaimed Rosepetal.

"He's completely abandoned the warrior code, then," Graystripe decided grimly. "Now he really is nothing more than a rogue."

"Breezepelt is dead," Bramblestar meowed, "thanks to the curiosity of one apprentice – Maplepaw saw him attempting to kill me, and when she leaped on him Breezepelt dashed his head against a rock. Without Mapelpaw's assistance, I would have lost more than just one life this morning."

"Maplepaw! Maplepaw! Maplepaw!"

The Clan's cheering deafened her. Maplepaw suddenly found that all eyes were on her, the Clan chanting her name. She shrank from the attention.

_Soak it in, Maplepaw,_ Mapleshine's voice promised with a honeyed purr. _Get used to the attention – you'll be getting a lot of it by the time I'm through with you._

Maplepaw tried straightening her back, but the eyes of her Clanmates glimmered and their cheering voices weighed her down. One day she would feel comfortable under their gazes, but not today. Not when she was so tired.

"So that's what happened?" Spottedpaw murmured, her voice louder than the din of cheers. "You followed Bramblestar? You saved my father?"

"I… I was curious…" Maplepaw mumbled. It wasn't a total lie – all apprentices were curious about what happened at the Moonpool.

Spottedpaw's eyes sparkled with gratitude.

"Breezepelt's death was an accident," Bramblestar went on. The cheering faded as he spoke. "But I have suspicions that he was not working alone. I am going to take a patrol to WindClan to tell them the news of Breezepelt's death, and hopefully Onestar and I can work out who his allies might have been."

"Why attack you though?" Lionblaze asked. "You never did anything to personally harm him."

"I allowed Leafpool to retake her place as a Clan medicine cat," Bramblestar meowed. "I think that alone was enough to earn Breezepelt's hatred."

"I want to go on this patrol to WindClan!" Cloudtail announced. "We have to figure this out before his allies rally and attack us again! We have to be prepared."

"I will choose a patrol to go with me," Bramblestar meowed. "For now, this meeting is over. I want a patrol along both borders, and a hunting patrol. Squirrelflight?"

"On it," his deputy promised.

"Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Birchfall," Bramblestar announced. "Come with me to WindClan. Everyone else, go about your day. More announcements will come when required."

The Clan seemed to agree on this, though Maplepaw was sure she wasn't the only one who was wondering what Bramblestar saw in his vision from StarClan. She had a reason, though – she had not forgotten that Bramblestar had stated a part of the message had been about _her._

"There's my heroic apprentice!"

Maplepaw turned to see Berrynose. The cream warrior had his ears flattened.

"Though I'm upset with you for going against an elder's orders," Berrynose mewed, "and I never liked doing elders' chores myself… I can honestly say that this time skipping them was a good thing. I was honestly very confused when I found myself burying Breezepelt this morning instead of going hunting with you."

Maplepaw blinked. "Am… I in trouble?" she ventured.

"No," Berrynose stated. "Not this time. Next time you don't change an elder's bedding, though, you'll be doing it all day – I don't care if you just saved the whole lake! Being a hero doesn't make you exempt from your apprentice duties."

"I understand," Maplepaw mewed.

"You look exhausted," Berrynose decided. "Go rest some more. I'll come get you in the evening for some battle training. You got lucky with Breezepelt being so distracted this time – it could have been much worse."

Maplepaw nodded. She was grateful for the chance to get more rest. _But shouldn't I be getting yelled at for killing a warrior? Was it because he was a rogue that I'm not getting any flack? The warrior code says we shouldn't kill…_

Even though every fiber of Maplepaw's being told her that Breezepelt's death had been an accident, some part of her stirred with the thought that it wasn't – there really was no reason for Breezepelt to be at the Moonpool… or for him to even _know_ Bramblestar was going to be there.

So… who had told him?


	18. Chapter 16

**Bramblestar was pretty sleep-deprived, but Leafpool being in ShadowClan is important… There's a reason he's not holding that over their heads like an ass. Yes, Maplepaw's and Hawkpaw's names are a reference to Mapleshade and Hawkfrost, but Maplepaw's name mostly has to do with her pelt – what cat would want their kit named after Mapleshade? It was just a little joke I figured I'd throw in there.**

**I will update Celestial Ascendance as soon as I get another chapter for it written. Once this part of this story is done (it will be soon) I'll be getting on that. I've got a lot of projects and some things tend to fall by the wayside.**

**As for that name… The "Owl" part is fine but the "–strong" is not something I'd name a cat. If he's good at fighting, his suffix could be "-claw" or "-fang" or even "-blaze" if you want to go there… then again, I'm more of a traditional name person – Owlstrong doesn't really sound like a warrior cat name to me.**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

_Hawkpaw could hear Leafpool's paws pacing_ the soft floor of the medicine cat's den. He imagined the medicine cat's tail swishing from side to side as she expressed, "But _why_ is his fur falling out?"

"I… I don't know," Mistpaw replied warily.

Hawkpaw ducked his head into the den. The patrol to visit ThunderClan had been yesterday, and today the entire Clan seemed to be on edge to see what ThunderClan would do. The Gathering was in three nights, and most of the Clan believed there would be a fight.

Leafpool, however, had been entirely unbiased on the matter. She showed no favor for fighting ThunderClan, of course, but she also showed no favor towards ShadowClan fighting either. Rowanstar had not officially asked her to take Littlecloud's place as ShadowClan's main medicine cat – not yet, at least. Perhaps he was waiting until the border debacle was over?

Hawkpaw nudged a huge wad of moss. Though Smokefoot was in the medicine cat's den, Tigerheart had sent him to gather moss for Leafpool since she seemed busy with Mistpaw. Hawkpaw didn't really want to do the stranger any favors, but Tigerheart was his mentor – temporary or not, Hawkpaw needed to listen.

Tufts of Smokefoot's dark gray fur lay on the ground, and Leafpool was sniffing them. Mistpaw was catching them in her claws, attempting to put them in a better-looking pile. Hawkpaw's spine bristled – Smokefoot had lost nearly all the fur off of one of his flanks!

"Did you groom him too harshly?" Leafpool asked.

"Of course not!" Mistpaw returned. "I was as gentle as possible! Was it one of the herbs we fed him?"

"I've never heard of an herb that would make one's fur fall out," Leafpool admitted. She patted the pile of fur with one paw. "Has he been itching? Is his skin irritated?"

Mistpaw darted over to their patient. Hawkpaw tried to lean in to get a good look, but the medicine cat den had a nice, private nook for patients in need of the more dire care. All Hawkpaw could see of his mentor was his limp tail.

"Not one that I can see," Mistpaw reported.

"I've already checked him for fleas _and_ mange," Leafpool sighed. "He has neither!"

Smokefoot let out a groan. Hawkpaw's ears flicked at his raspy voice. "What's wrong with me…?" he asked.

Leafpool sighed, lashing her tail. "Go fetch him some water," she ordered Mistpaw. "Not from a pond or puddle – from a stream or the lake. Make sure that it's fresh."

"Of course, Leafpool," Mistpaw agreed.

The pale she-cat padded past Hawkpaw and squeezed out of the den. She didn't acknowledge Hawkpaw's presence – her task was obviously more urgent than Hawkpaw understood.

"I scent you there," Leafpool announced. "I don't know every scent by name, but I know you're there. What is it you want?"

Hawkpaw took a step closer. "I've brought you moss," he replied. "Tigerheart asked me to."

"Hawkpaw?" Leafpool called.

"Yes," Hawkpaw replied.

"Don't come any closer," Leafpool insisted. "I don't know yet if this is contagious, and I don't want to take the risk."

"H-How is he?" Hawkpaw asked. "I thought he just had a cold…"

"So did I," Leafpool mewed. "It's escalated, though, and I'm not sure what's happening. It's nothing I've seen before."

"Can you help him?" Hawkpaw asked. Worry for Smokefoot coursed through his pelt – he barely knew his mentor, but he knew that he was a good warrior who didn't deserve this.

Leafpool sighed. "I'm doing everything I can," she mewed. "Leave that moss there and then go yourself. I'm sure Tigerheart has something else planned for you today."

"Is there anything you need?" Hawkpaw asked.

"Well…" Leafpool mumbled some things to herself, and she poked a few piles of exposed leaves. "I could use some more feverfew. Smokefoot's fever spiked in the night, and we used nearly all of it to bring it back down. There should be some growing now that newleaf's here – Softpaw and I found some by one of the Twoleg paths. If you could fetch it that would be great."

"I'll tell Tigerheart," Hawkpaw mewed. "I'll have some by the end of the day."

Leafpool's amber eyes flashed. "Thank you, Hawkpaw," she mewed. "Try not to panic the Clan by blabbering about Smokefoot – I'm not sure if it's something to worry about yet and I definitely don't want too many cats clustering the den."

Hawkpaw waved his tail at her as he turned to leave the den. "I won't say anything," he promised. With one hind leg, her carefully pushed the gathered moss further into the medicine cat's den. Leafpool took it from him, her eyes shimmering with gratitude.

He padded across the camp and his eyes fell upon Softpaw. She was padding into camp with a mouse in her jaws, and Hawkpaw was beside her as she put it onto the growing fresh-kill pile.

"Do you want to go out again?" Hawkpaw asked. "Leafpool needs feverfew, and she said you know where to find it."

Softpaw's eyes blinked and glimmered. "Of course," she mewed. "Let me go tell Tawnypelt where I'll be."

"Could you tell Tigerheart too?" Hawkpaw asked. The two were sitting together, sharing tongues, just across the camp. Dawnpelt, Tigerheart's sister, was with them.

Softpaw nodded. "Meet me by the hollow oak," she asked. "I'll be there shortly."

She brushed past Hawkpaw as she left, and Hawkpaw caught her purring. His fur tingled, and he turned around to leave the camp. Despite whatever had come over Smokefoot, this was proving to be a good day.

* * *

"Here it was," Softpaw mewed.

Their walk through the forest had been great. It was a warm day, and the two apprentices had filled the woods with their quiet chatter and close pawsteps. Warm, crisp air blew through the tall pines, and clear blue skies allowed the sun to shine down and warm the ground they walked on.

Before them was a Twoleg path. It was one that was frequented by Twolegs and their dogs, so great caution had to be taken. Hawkpaw spotted the leafy feverfew plant just on the other side, near the ThunderClan border. The herb was shared by both the Clans, but Hawkpaw couldn't help but be cautious.

"Leafpool said it would be fine if we took some," Softpaw told him. "If ThunderClan catches us we just have to say she sent us to get it."

"I know," Hawkpaw sighed. "I just feel a little uncomfortable, that's all. I just got out of trouble for accidentally crossing the border, and now we're not so friendly with ThunderClan."

Softpaw purred, her whiskers twitching. "I can go and grab some, if you're too scared," she offered.

Hawkpaw fluffed his fur. "I am _not_ scared!" he insisted. "I'm just worried, that's all."

He took a step out onto the path. He couldn't scent any recent Twoleg scent – they had passed by not too long ago, and he reckoned they wouldn't be back for a while. Hawkpaw darted across the path all the same, though, feeling exposed and uncomfortable in the Twoleg-frequented area.

The feverfew plant was small and still growing to its full potential, but it had a few stalks and leaves that could be used. Using his paws, Hawkpaw did his best to separate what was still growing and what was fully grown before he nipped off what was needed.

_This is a lot harder than I thought,_ Hawkpaw thought, bristling a little. He had never thought of himself as a medicine cat, but he had to admit that it wasn't as easy as it looked to pick leaves and berries.

"Don't take too much!" Softpaw urged. "It doesn't grow so well in our territory."

Hawkpaw scraped together what he had collected, looking at the sad little feverfew plant. It looked as if he had mangled it, and he hoped that it would still grow. He picked up what he'd gathered in his jaws and then made his way across the path again.

Halfway across the path, Hawkpaw picked up a rustling sound. He stopped still.

"What's wrong?" Softpaw asked. "Get off there before a Twoleg comes!"

Hawkpaw scurried to the other side and dropped the feverfew onto the ground at Softpaw's paws. His jaws clear of the obstruction, he opened them to scent the air. The smell of ThunderClan overpowered his senses, but beneath it there was something more…

"What's going on…?" Softpaw asked. Instead of waiting for Hawkpaw to answer, she scanned the undergrowth on the other side of the path. She gasped, "Hawkpaw! Look!"

Hawkpaw snapped his attention to where Softpaw was looking. There, just barely hidden by the undergrowth, was a cat. Amber eyes gleamed from the brush, and broad, mottled shoulders were squared.

"He's on the ThunderClan side," Hawkpaw whispered. He had been in ThunderClan's camp yesterday – but he hadn't seen a male cat mottled in such a way in their camp. "He must be a rogue."

"We should get back to camp," Softpaw insisted. She pushed the feverfew towards him. "Take that – I'll keep an eye out. We'll tell Tawnypelt and she'll send a patrol to deal with it."

Hawkpaw picked up the herbs in his jaws and, reluctantly, turned his back on the unknown tom. He looked back, finding that the amber eyes were still watching him. The tomcat made no move to cross the Twoleg path.

_Who are you?_ He wondered. _And what do you want?_


	19. Chapter 17

**Odd names are fine, if you're going for that sort of thing. Owlstrong just isn't a name I would use.**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

_Maplepaw woke with an ache in_ her shoulder. Berrynose's battle training had been intense – they had worked through several basic moves for some time, until the moon rose high in the sky. Rolls, claw rakes, leaping onto enemies… Berrynose had crammed it all into her brain, drilling her again and again until she got the moves perfect. Then, Berrynose had asked Maplepaw to spar with him – he had accidentally butted her in the shoulder a bit too hard.

The ache worked away as she pushed out of the apprentice's den. Sunlight streamed into her tired eyes, causing her to squint until she was used to the light a few moments later. Blinking, she set off towards the fresh-kill pile.

Maplepaw chose a squirrel and dragged it back to the eating place by its tail. Spottedpaw was sharing tongues with Amberpaw there, while a few tail-lengths away Dewpaw and Snowpaw were sparring with one another.

She ate in relative – and surprising – silence. No cat made mention of what had happened with Breezepelt to her, and it was as if it hadn't been that important of a happening. It was only when she was done eating did the subject of Breezepelt and ShadowClan come up.

"You think Breezepelt might have been working with ShadowClan?" Amberpaw wondered.

Spottedpaw flicked her tail. "That seems unlikely," she admitted. "Breezepelt didn't like _any_ of the Clans… and no one knows if he was working with anyone to begin with."

"He must have been," Maplepaw offered, "otherwise how would he know that Bramblestar was at the Moonpool?"

"You think it might be someone in WindClan?" Amberpaw wondered, flicking a gray ear.

Maplepaw shrugged. "It couldn't be a ThunderClan cat," she said.

"Of course not!" bristled Dewpaw. He leaped onto Snowpaw, pinning him down with strong gray paws. "We're loyal to our cores!"

Snowpaw wriggled beneath his brother, and then used his powerful hind legs to kick the gray-and-white tom off of him. Snowpaw pushed himself up and then shook out his coat. "We won't know now," he mewed, "Breezepelt's dead, and dead cats don't reveal secrets."

Maplepaw shivered uncomfortably, and Spottedpaw threw Snowpaw a warning glance. Snowpaw flicked an ear and added, "Hey – I'm not calling Maplepaw a murderer. I'm just saying that he's dead – whatever alliances he had probably fell apart." Dewpaw scrambled to his paws and leaped onto Snowpaw again, and the two were once again in a gray- and white-furred tussle.

"There is a point there," Amberpaw admitted. "Breezepelt's allies would have been rogues or loners, most likely. Those types tend to disband when their leaders die or fail. Remember how BloodClan fled when Scourge died? Who knows what happened to them."

"So… what about ShadowClan?" Maplepaw offered. She wanted to get off of the subject of Breezepelt – as much as Mapleshine was pushing her into the spotlight, Maplepaw didn't want to be part of that sort of thing yet. Not to mention the strange feeling she recalled having when she saw his limp black body floating in the Moonpool… the thought made her shiver.

"If they want that territory they'll have to fight for it!" Dewpaw declared, pouncing once again onto Snowpaw.

"Ow!" Snowpaw complained. "Get off, you great lump – that hurt!"

"Sorry!" Dewpaw mewed, pushing himself off of his brother.

Snowpaw sat up and shook out his coat. Moss and debris were caught in it, and he flopped back down, panting. "You weigh a ton, you know that?" he complained.

Dewpaw twitched his whiskers. "And you have the temper of a badger!" he threw back.

Amberpaw rolled her eyes and began to groom out her brother's pelt. "I don't understand why Bramblestar just didn't remind ShadowClan that they have Leafpool thanks to us," she mewed between licks. "That would have shut them up."

"I don't think Bramblestar would hold that over their heads, though," Dewpaw mewed, settling down to lick his flank clean of dirt. "It's not like they have a medicine cat ready to take Littlecloud's place at the moment."

"Besides," Spottedpaw added, "Leafpool made that agreement with Littlecloud, not ShadowClan. ThunderClan didn't _give_ her away like some piece of prey or territory; she went on her own. I don't think she'd come back if we forced her to like that."

"Medicine cats are weird," muttered Snowpaw.

"Speaking of, though," Amberpaw mewed, dropping her voice a little. "This morning, when I came in from the predawn patrol, I spotted Jayfeather running into the nursery."

Snowpaw's ears pricked, and he along with the others looked to the bramble thicket. Maplepaw's whiskers twitched. Cinderheart, Poppyfrost, and Ivypool were lying outside. Ivypool was basking in the newleaf sunshine while Cinderheart and Poppyfrost made a game with Cinderheart's kits using sticks and moss.

"Was it Poppyfrost?" Dewpaw wondered. The tortoiseshell queen looked fat and tired, and the sun wasn't even high over the treetops yet.

Amberpaw shook her head. "Poppyfrost isn't due for a half-moon… and Ivypool isn't due for a moon or so herself. I think some kits might be sick."

"I hope they're not Daisy's," Spottedpaw murmured. "They weren't born too long ago…"

"It's newleaf!" complained Dewpaw. "How are cats getting sick? I thought we left all of that behind!"

Amberpaw licked between her brother's ears. "I offered to help Jayfeather, but he didn't want anyone inside. He left to go get water from the lake before you all woke up," she mewed. "When he comes back I'm sure we'll find something out."

"Maybe they caught whatever Foxleap's got," suggested Snowpaw. "I hear his fur's been falling out – must have mange or something."

"So he hasn't gotten any better?" Spottedpaw asked.

"Not according to Dustpelt or Icecloud," Snowpaw replied. "He's been getting worse, apparently – retches all the time, and he can hardly eat or drink. Jayfeather won't let anyone go in to see him."

Maplepaw dug her claws into the ground. Foxleap had gotten worse? Last she knew he had just been coughing and wheezing. Now his fur was falling out? Maplepaw didn't know of any sickness that did that – not even greencough made a cat's fur fall out.

"He's been sick for a while," Amberpaw murmured. "I hope Jayfeather finds the cure soon."

"Would catmint work?" Maplepaw offered.

"I'm no medicine cat," Amberpaw said, shrugging. "I don't know – but I _do_ know that the supply in the old Twoleg nest still hasn't fully grown back yet. Jayfeather used a lot of it in leaf-bare when Purdy and some warriors caught greencough. You were just a little kit then, Maplepaw – you wouldn't remember that."

"I think… I think I remember Squirrelflight having it?" Maplepaw recalled. She didn't know too much about way back then – she had still been little when the greencough outbreak hit. She did remember coughing and wheezing the nursery, though she couldn't recall who it had been.

Spottedpaw flicked an ear. "No, Maplepaw – that was _you,"_ she pointed out. "Squirrelflight and I had to sleep in the apprentice's den, remember? You had it pretty bad…"

Maplepaw tried thinking back, but most of the memories were blocked by a barrier of blackness. The furthest back she could recall was the moon before Spottedpaw became an apprentice – the two of them were playing in the snow, rolling in it and making snow-warriors with their bodies. It must have happened before Maplepaw opened her eyes.

She only shrugged and mewed, "Guess not."

"Well, it was a while ago," Spottedpaw reasoned.

"Maplepaw!"

Maplepaw's ears pricked. Berrynose was heading their way, and it seemed as if a patrol was gathering near the fresh-kill pile. Squirrelflight was at its head, her fluffy ginger tail raised. Cloudtail, Lionblaze, and Whitewing were gathered behind her.

"You're coming on patrol with me," Berrynose mewed, flicking his tail at Squirrelflight's patrol. "Hurry up – or are you too busy gossiping?"

"No – no, not at all!" Maplepaw sputtered. She pushed herself up and said a hasty good-bye to her denmates before heading off with Berrynose.

The patrol seemed impatient and more than ready to leave by the time Berrynose and Maplepaw joined them. Squirrelflight lifted her tail high and mewed, "OK – let's go."

Maplepaw glanced at Berrynose. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"Remember the territory that ShadowClan wanted?" Berrynose mewed. Maplepaw nodded. "We're going to scout it out and see whether or not it's really worth fighting to keep."

"Isn't it?" Maplepaw wondered.

Berrynose shrugged. "Bramblestar just wants to make sure," he replied. The two headed off at a trot through the thorn tunnel. Out in the forest it was cool and shady, with a light breeze that cut through Maplepaw's leaf-bare thin pelt with a slight chill.

"We also want to make sure that ShadowClan doesn't go back on their word," added Whitewing. The white she-cat had obviously been listening in. "If they mark the border before us or before the Gathering, then there will definitely be some fighting."

"You think they would?" Maplepaw wondered. She leaped over a stick in her path, landing on the soft ground, grateful that her paws had healed. "Go back on their word, I mean."

"They're ShadowClan!" Cloudtail pointed out. "They've done it before, and they'll do it again."

"And if they have, we'll report to Bramblestar before we do anything," Squirrelfight mewed from the front of the patrol. Lionblaze was beside her, his huge golden body making Squirrelflight look like a, well, squirrel. "I don't want any rash actions, Cloudtail! That's not why I brought you along."

"I know, I know," complained Cloudtail. "There just hasn't been anything _interesting_ happening lately. We don't know who Breezepelt was working with – if it was anyone – or what his plans really were. Now we've got ShadowClan breathing down our necks! It's about time something interesting happened – my claws were getting dull."

"With the Great Battle behind us I want nothing more than dull claws," Lionblaze rumbled. "This peace has been nice… and we shouldn't be looking for fights where there aren't any."

"We're just seeing if the territory is worth fighting for," Whitewing agreed coolly, glancing at her father. "Nothing more."

Cloudtail flicked his fluffy white tail. "I know," he sighed.

* * *

They traveled on in relative silence until they reached the stream that ShadowClan wanted as their new border. It was leaped with ease, even by Maplepaw's shorter legs, and they were within the territory that was under dispute.

Here the undergrowth was thinner as it transitioned into ShadowClan territory. Pine trees mingled with oak and ash and beech, stunted because of the latter trees' interference. Shafts of sunlight pierced through the leafy canopy above them, and Maplepaw saw the lake sparkling at the end of the stream. She could smell prey, though it was not in plenty – this place was more exposed than the rest of ThunderClan's territory, and there was a underlying odor that made Maplepaw's whiskers curl.

"What's that stink?" Cloudtail wondered.

"No idea," Lionblaze muttered. He flicked his tail. "Whitewing and I will check it out," he told Squirrelflight.

"Be careful," Squirrelflight mewed.

Lionblaze nodded and he and Whitewing detached themselves from the group. They padded towards the lake, and Squirrelflight left them behind as she continued the patrol towards the ShadowClan border.

They reached it within a few heartbeats. Berrynose pointed with his tail towards a thicket of brambles and ferns a few rabbit hops away from the border. He meowed, "There's ShadowClan's camp."

Maplepaw looked at the camp in astonishment. "It's so close to the border!" she exclaimed. She glanced at Berrynose. "Is that why they want it moved?"

"Possibly," Squirrelflight answered. She sighed, flicking her tail. "I didn't realize at first that their camp was so close. I guess Rowanstar's urgency yesterday makes more sense now."

Bushes rustled, heralding the arrival of Whitewing. Her white fur was fluffed, and she mewed urgently, "Squirrelflight – Come quickly. You should see this!"

They followed Whitewing through the undergrowth, towards the lake. Maplepaw could feel her heart beating in her ears as she fell slightly behind Berrynose thanks to her shorter legs. As they drew nearer to the lake, the smell that had been blowing faintly through the area was getting stronger, and Maplepaw could feel the hairs rising along her spine.

Lionblaze and, surprisingly, Jayfeather, were standing beside the gnarled roots of an old oak tree. The roots were curled and high in the air, ripped out as the tree had been lashed back and forth thanks to storms and the lake removing its supportive dirt. Beneath it was the source of the stench – a burrow that smelled as if someone had filled it with crow-food.

"A fox den?" exclaimed Squirrelfight, curling her nose. "What's this doing here? How have we missed this?"

"I don't know," Lionblaze huffed. "We haven't been patrolling the lake as much as we ought to, apparently."

"What is that StarClan-cursed _stink?"_ Cloudtail complained.

"That's what we wanted to show you," Lionblaze offered.

He flicked his tail for the patrol to come closer and, though they didn't want to, they obeyed. They edged ever-nearer to the fox's den, and Maplepaw felt bile rising in her throat. The stench in the darkness was overpowering, and she swayed on her paws a little. The other warriors showed the same discomfort.

"Look at the back of the den," Whitewing mewed, gasping for breath. "What do you see?"

Maplepaw bent down and narrowed her eyes to look. It was hard to see in the gloom, but Maplepaw could see scraps of fur and what seemed like some animal's leg… Maplepaw had never seen a fox before, but there was no question that this fox was, well…

"It's dead," Jayfeather announced.

"It's dead alright," Squirrelflight agreed. "This stench is going to drive away all the prey in the area… we need this thing removed."

Jayfeather was rigid as Lionblaze and Cloudtail hunkered down in the den and began to push out the fox's corpse. "Don't touch it with your mouth!" Jayfeather ordered.

It took some doing, but the dirty, red-brown creature was pushed out by Cloudtail's and Lionblaze's paws. It flopped its paws into the lake with a _sploosh_ and lay there limply, its eyes rolled back into its head and its tongue lolling out onto the dirt.

"What killed it?" Squirrelflight demanded. "It doesn't look as if anything attacked it."

"I don't know, but half its fur is in the den," Lionblaze commented.

Jayfeather rested his paw on the fox's exposed flank. He gently drew his paw backwards, and no cat could say that the medicine cat was using any kind of force – when his paw reached his side again, a ball of fox-fur lay there. Jayfeather's blind expression was nothing less than disturbed.

"Just like Foxleap…" he murmured.

"Berrynose, take Maplepaw, Whitewing, and Jayfeather back to camp," Squirrelflight ordered, the fur on her neck rising. "Make a report to Bramblestar. We'll bury this… thing."

Berrynose nodded, and he flicked Maplepaw's shoulder. "Come on," he ordered.

Maplepaw was, for a moment, fixated on the fox. The blank, dead expression, the cloying smell of death… the scraps of fur littering the ground, effortlessly pulled out. Something was not right about this.

_What could do this?_ She wondered.

"Maplepaw!" Berrynose called. The young apprentice snapped out of her thoughts, seeing her mentor padding away from her. "Come on!"

"C-Coming!" Maplepaw insisted. She padded after her mentor, grateful to be away from the smell. But the feeling that this was nothing natural did not leave her, and she could not shake the thought that something awful was beginning.


	20. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

_Hawkpaw lay on his back, looking_ up at the sun. There was an itch he just couldn't seem to scratch, so he moved his hips into the ground. _I hope I'm not getting fleas,_ he thought

The thought of fleas was disgusting, but no more distracting than other thoughts floating through his mind. The patched tom they'd seen in ThunderClan territory had been reported, and Tawnypelt sent out a patrol immediately – they came back with nothing, though they claimed to have scented him along the Twoleg path. They followed the trail, but it disappeared into the Twoleg nest and they went no further.

It wasn't just that, either – Hawkpaw dreamed again. The same scent drifted over his nose – ShadowClan, but unfamiliar. This time, it had led him through the woods and Hawkpaw was conscious of a darkness following his pawsteps. When he looked back, he swore he saw eyes gleaming in the darkness – the eyes of the patched tom. His dream had ended quickly after that.

_I wonder what it all means…_ He'd heard stories of ordinary warriors – even apprentices! – getting special dreams. But… didn't StarClan show more favor to Clanborn cats? Firestar was different – he was _special_ – but Hawkpaw was… nothing. Just an apprentice with a questionable heritage. Some rogue she-cat's unwanted kit.

That thought saddened him a little.

"Are you just going to scratch your behind all day or are you going to do some work?"

Hawkpaw twisted his head and saw that Sparrowpaw was looming over him. The tabby apprentice – though Hawkpaw's age – was larger than the other apprentices.

"I thought Ratscar was taking you to hunt," Hawkpaw mewed. He twisted and sat right-side up on his paws.

"He isn't feeling well – complained about his back or something," Sparrowpaw grunted. He sat down with a disappointed expression. "He told me to tag along with whatever you and Tigerheart were doing."

Hawkpaw flicked an ear. Was Smokefoot so ill that Tigerheat was being assumed as Hawkpaw's mentor now? As much as Hawkpaw liked Tigerheart, he wondered how Smokefoot felt about it.

"Is he OK?" Hawkpaw asked. Ratscar was the oldest warrior in the Clan – there were few cats who could talk about the old forest or the Great Journey. Hawkpaw didn't think that age was getting to Sparrowpaw's mentor so easily.

Sparrowpaw shrugged. "Something about his chest not feeling right or something," he grumbled. "I don't get why he's still training apprentices when he ought to be an elder."

Hawkpaw kneaded his paws into the ground. "I'll fight as a warrior until my claws fall out," he declared. "I won't let age stop me."

Sparrowpaw's whiskers twitch. "You sound like a kit," he chided. "So… what's the plan?"

"Tigerheart was taking me out for battle practice," Hawkpaw explained. "As soon as he's done eating we're heading for the clearing."

Sparrowpaw rolled his broad shoulders. "I've had some battle training myself – I'd like the chance to show you how a _real_ Clanborn cat fights," he sneered.

"Bring it on," Hawkpaw snarled, his neck fur fluffing out. _I could do with some healthy competition…_

"Oh, I will," Sparrowpaw promised, curling his lip. "You'll wish you were never brought here, Hawkpaw."

"You'll wish you never opened your mouth," Hawkpaw promised back.

"Stop it, you two," Tigerheart commanded.

The remains of his breakfast were still flecked along his jaws. Tigerheart licked them off and glared at the two apprentices, his eyes flashing. "I hope you two remember that it's _claws sheathed_ in the clearing today," he growled. "I don't want anyone getting hurt."

"Of course," Hawkpaw said quickly. "Sparrowpaw was just -"

Tigerheart raised his tail for silence. He didn't seem to be in the mood for understanding. "Come on you two; time's wasting," he said. "If I'm looking after the both of you, then I want all the time I can get."

"Are you assessing us?" Sparrowpaw asked.

"It's Ratscar's job to assess you," Tigerheart pointed out. "And you tow haven't had enough training to warrant an assessment. I'm just going to teach you some fighting moves that can be helpful when fighting an enemy warrior."

"So… you think there's going to be a fight over that territory?" Hawkpaw wondered.

Tigerheart sighed. Sagging his shoulders, he admitted, "I don't know. What happens is in ThunderClan's paws for now – we'll get our answer soon. The Gathering is in a few nights. If you guys perform well you might get to go – but I won't know how well you're going to do if you don't come with me out to the clearing!"

Hawkpaw flattened his ears. "Sorry," he mewed. "Let's go."

"That's what I've been _saying,"_ Tigerheart sighed.

* * *

The ground in the clearing was soft with pine needles when they arrived. The sun was just barely peeking over the treetops, warming one half of the clearing and not the other. Tigerheart led them to the warmer area of the clearing to begin their training.

"Show me what you know," Tigerheart decided. "Fight one another with claws sheathed."

Hawkpaw and Sparrowpaw turned towards one another. It was hard to fight the urge to unsheathe his claws to teach Sparrowpaw a lesson, but Hawkpaw knew better than to strike a Clanmate – even if that Clanmate was a huge frog-brain.

They circled each other, spitting, with fur fluffed up for intimidation – basic techniques taught from kithood. Hawkpaw and Sparrowpaw had hardly sparred as kits, since Sparrowpaw's dislike for him had started early – but Hawkpaw had play-fought enough with Nightpaw to know how this dance worked.

It was Sparrowpaw who moved first. He lunged and, using his bigger size, plowed Hawkpaw into the ground using not much but his shoulder. Hawkpaw gasped, feeling the wind knocked out of his small body.

Hawkpaw rolled in the pine needles and gasped for air as he sprang to his paws. Sparrowpaw was charging at him, and Hawkpaw used his superior speed to dart out of the way. Sparrowpaw blundered forward and crashed into a fern.

Whiskers twitching, Hawkpaw teased, "I'm sure that fern deserved it!"

Sparrowpaw's spine bristled as he came charging out of the bushes. He tackled Hawkpaw without a word, and the two began to tussle paw-to-paw. Rolling through the needles, Hawkpaw was hardly ever on top of Sparrowpaw – battering his opponent's belly with his hind paws seemed to be the only option Hawkpaw had, until he hit a sweet spot with one of his paws that sent Sparrowpaw flying.

Hawkpaw got to his paws and did not waste time – he used this to his advantage and leaped onto Sparrowpaw – but his attempt to use his weight to push Sparrowpaw down failed, as the other tom was both heavier and bulkier than Hawkpaw realized.

With one hard swipe, Hawkpaw was bundled away like a bothersome kit.

"Enough!" Tigerheart called.

Panting, Hawkpaw pushed himself up and shook out his pelt. He joined Sparrowpaw before Tigerheart, his pelt burning with shame. How could he lose to Sparrowpaw?

"Clearly there's still a lot of work to be done," Tigerheart mewed. "Sparrowpaw, it's obvious that you're bigger, but you're drained by fighting Hawkpaw. Hawkpaw, it's obvious that you're smaller and aren't sure how to handle bigger opponents. The both of you are too confident for your own good."

Both apprentices flattened their ears.

"Sparrowpaw, let's work on your ability to use your weight to your advantage," Tigerheart decided. "It's easy to knock a cat off of their paws in a fight, but bigger cats wear out more easily than smaller ones. You need to learn how to conserve your energy for when you really need it."

Sparrowpaw nodded.

"What should I do?" Hawkpaw asked.

Tigerheart flicked an ear. "If there were another cat here I'd have them help you, but for now just watch Sparrowpaw and I," he answered.

Hawkpaw nodded and hunkered down in a sunny spot. Tigerheart took Sparrowpaw into the main space of the clearing and began to talk with him about different fighting moves that were better suited for his body type – like shouldering an opponent, kicks, bites, and paw swipes that took advantage of his size. Tigerheart would demonstrate, and then Sparrowpaw would do the move until he got it right.

By sunhigh, when Tigerheart was demonstrating a good way to headbutt an opponent, Hawkpaw was bored. Sparrowpaw was doing well, soaking up all of Tigerheart's information – but none of it was really pertinent to Hawkpaw's training, even though the smaller apprentice was paying attention, too.

Hawkpaw was about to ask when he would be the one training with Tigerheart when a ShadowClan warrior burst through the trees.

It was Owlclaw, a young tabby warrior who was also Applefur's mate. His sides were heaving, and his fur was fluffed to its very ends.

"We've caught him!" Owlclaw exclaimed.

"Caught who?" Sparrowpaw asked. "What's going -"

Tigerheart waved his tail, and Sparrowpaw shut his mouth.

"You'll never believe this," Owlclaw gasped. "We've caught _Sol!"_


	21. Chapter 19

**These last few chapters will be focusing on ShadowClan, with one or more ThunderClan chapter before the epilogue and the end of this part of the story.**

**I've got the rest of this story written and done! Now just to post it - not all at once, of course!**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

_Sol was nothing like what Hawkpaw_ had expected. Snaketail and the other elders had painted him as a sleek-furred, lazy excuse for a cat – but here he was, in all his glory, standing in the midst of the camp with very, very angry ShadowClan cats circling him. Hawkpaw did not see a single claw sheathed, and all eyes were narrowed at the dappled tom.

The tom was sleek-furred, yes – but significantly skinnier than when ShadowClan had last seen him. He stank of unfamiliar places and things, and Hawkpaw's whiskers curled at the thought of finally seeing the cat who had nearly destroyed the Clans in the flesh.

"We found him by the ThunderClan border," Owlclaw explained. "Just sitting there."

"I hope you roughed him up a bit," Tigerheart growled, his lip curled.

Owlclaw hesitated. "How could we?" he mewed, "He didn't try to hurt us – then, at least. He just asked to be taken back to our camp."

"You should have driven him off," Sparrowpaw spat. "That mange-ball has no right to step onto Clan territory!"

From the mutterings of the other ShadowClan cats, they all seemed to agree with him.

"Now Sparrowpaw," Tigerheart sighed, "I suppose we can let this pass once. Warriors don't harm unless there's a reason to harm – Sol didn't give any reason."

"It was Olivenose's idea to bring him back – let _her_ explain it to you," Owlclaw complained. "I swear, the she-cats just turn into frog-brains the minute they lay eyes on him!" The pale tabby concluded his conversation with them by padding over to his own mate, Applefur, and their kits.

"I wonder what Rowanstar will say?" Hawkpaw wondered.

"If it's anything less than _get out_ Rowanstar will have a riot on his paws," Tigerheart admitted.

Tigerheart left the two apprentices to go and join Dawnpelt and Starlingwing near the front of the crowd. Hawkpaw and Sparrowpaw padded up to the apprentices – this time, Mistpaw had joined them. Sparrowpaw touched noses gratefully with his sister – they hadn't seen each other in forever, it seemed.

"Leafpool said I should take a break," Mistpaw purred, her eyes glowing with tiredness.

"She's not out here?" Milkpaw wondered.

Mistpaw shook her head. "She said it would be better if ShadowClan's future medicine cat sat in on the meeting, not her," she replied.

"Well, she's right," Nightpaw decided. "We don't need a ThunderClan cat sticking their nose into our business."

Mistpaw bristled at the insult to her mentor, but she said nothing. Sparrowpaw twitched his whiskers – Hawkpaw sensed that he wanted to agree, but his sister's happiness meant more to him. _So there _is _a way to shut him up!_ Hawkpaw thought triumphantly.

"Hawkpaw!" Softpaw called. She flicked her tail, beckoning.

Hawkpaw situated himself beside her, and couldn't help the tingling in his fur at her appreciative purr. He ignored the annoyed look from Nightpaw and faced the center of the clearing with Softpaw.

"So what's happening?" Hawkpaw asked.

"Rowanstar is still discussing things with Tawnypelt and the senior warriors," Softpaw reported. "We'll know soon."

"We'd better," Hawkpaw agreed, "or half the Clan will tear him apart!"

"Why shouldn't they?" agreed Sparrowpaw. "That cat's a menace!"

"Crow-food eating scum!" spat Nightpaw.

Hawkpaw looked at Sol. The dappled tom seemed immune to the insults being thrown at him – _crow-food eater, mange-pelt, foxdung…_ none of it seemed to faze him. It was as if he were in his own little world. His head was held high and proud, and there was a glimmer of satisfaction in his amber eyes. Did he really _want_ these dangerous cats to hate him so much?

On one paw, Hawkpaw hated Sol as much as the rest of the Clan – on the other, though, Hawkpaw couldn't help but admire his courage… however foolish and prideful it was. To have the ability to sit there so calmly, letting insults roll off of you like water on the stones of the lake… Hawkpaw wanted that.

All the Clan hushed as Rowanstar appeared, standing aggressively on the overhanging hazel branch. His eyes were narrowed, with his shoulder hunched and tail lashing. It was obvious he was furious.

"Well, well," he growled. "If it isn't _Sol."_

"Hello, Rowanclaw," Sol mewed. His voice was calm and confident. "Or is it Rowan_star_ now?"

"It is," Rowanstar growled in reply.

"Then my sincerest condolences for the death of Blackstar," Sol offered, his voice smooth as honey. "He was… a noble leader."

"His condolences are meaningless," growled Snowbird. The white she-cat had fluffed fur. "He dishonors Blackstar's memory by speaking of him!"

The Clan rumbled in agreement.

Rowanstar lashed his tail. "Enough," he decided. Glaring at Sol with silence falling, he asked, "Why are you here?"

"To warn you," Sol purred. "There is a great danger coming to your Clan – I only thought it polite to warn you before it reached you."

"Give us a reason to believe you," Owlclaw snappd.

"You believed me before," Sol countered, "when I warned of the disappearing sun…"

"That was one truth out of a multitude of lies, Sol – it alone does not wipe clean your credibility," Rowanstar growled. "Give us a _good_ reason."

Sol's whiskers twitched. Hawkpaw was stunned – how could he be so calm, when an entire Clan of trained warriors was threatening to rip his throat out at a moment's notice?

"Why are we bothering to listen to this rubbish?" snapped Snaketail. "Get this snake-tongued _fox_ out of this Clan, Rowanstar!"

"Kill him!" cried the Clan. "Drive him out of our territory!"

Sol looked around at the cats vying for his death. His eyes rested on each one, calm and burning like the setting sun. Then, finally, they rested on Hawkpaw. Hawkpaw, stunned, could do nothing but meet his amber gaze.

"Whether you believe me or not, this danger is coming," Sol mewed carefully. He turned his head away from Hawkpaw and focused his eyes back onto Rowanstar. "I may have done reprehensible things to you Clans in the past… but this danger is not something I would wish on any living thing."

Rowanstar narrowed his eyes. "We will consider your words – now leave our Clans. For good," he growled. There was a threat there, and it did not need to be said.

He nodded to Tawnypelt, and below him the tortoiseshell raised her tail. Sol was led out of the camp by a bristling guard of warriors just as quickly as he had appeared, and the Clan who remained in the camp watched him go with confusion in their eyes.

"You should have killed him!" cried Snaketail.

"His words are poison," spat Toadfoot. "They have caused nothing but agonizing pain. Don't tell us that you're considering what he said!"

Rowanstar flicked his tail. "He wasn't specific about the danger itself," he rumbled. "Sol could have just been trying to fool us again, or he has a bigger plan. I place a wager on the latter. When Tawnypelt returns we will have a meeting of senior warriors to discuss what has happened."

"Since Smokefoot and Ratscar are sick, there doesn't leave too many voices," Sparrowpaw grumbled. "Just Toadfoot, Snowbird, and Kinkfur."

Hawkpaw watched as the Clan split up into gossiping groups. Sol's warning stirred in his mind – a danger coming that threatened their Clan? What could it possibly be? He felt his spine tingle.

_Could he really be telling the truth?_ Hawkpaw wondered. _How could anyone believe someone who was known for so many terrible lies?_


	22. Chapter 20

**It's OK, Poppywhisker - I'm fine, and this story is fine, too. I've just been swamped working on getting myself ready for commissions and doing art for various things and also writing what I can of Celestial Ascendance. I want to get as much of it done as I can before I finish Dark Fever so I have a nice buffer to allow me to work on my other stories, this one's sequel included. Chapters of this story will come up as regularly as I can get them to.**

**P.S. - your letter format is nice.**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

"_Hawkpaw, pay attention!" Tigerheart snapped. The_ tabby's muzzle was right in Hawkpaw's face, with narrowed amber eyes glaring at the apprentice.

Hawkpaw shook his head. "S-Sorry!" he sputtered.

Ever since Sol had given his warning two days ago, Hawkpaw had been finding it hard to focus on training. The thought of some sort of unspeakable danger looming over his Clan – his friends, the cats who had taken him in – was terrifying.

Not only that, but Hawkpaw's strange dreams had been persistent – the past nights had been filled with Hawkpaw wandering through his dreamworld, following a scent he didn't recognize with urgent whispers in his ears that he couldn't understand. Everywhere he looked he saw hidden threats – eyes gleaming between the trees, filled with darkness and malice. Every time he got too close to the source of the scent, he was awakened.

ThunderClan was a problem, too – the border still had not been remarked, and the Gathering was tomorrow night. Hawkpaw feared there would be a fight over the boundary if something wasn't done soon… and ThunderClan greatly outnumbered ShadowClan.

Tigerheart sighed, his amber eyes flashing with sympathy. "Your head's been in a cloud all morning," he mewed. "You haven't been paying attention."

"I'm sorry," Hawkpaw repeated.

"I'm guessing that what's bothering you are the same things that are bothering all of us," Tigerheart decided. He flicked his tail. "You'll never be able to focus on your training with your mind occupied."

Hawkpaw flattened his ears, embarrassed.

"Go hunt," Tigerheart ordered. "Clear your head. I'll see you around mealtime."

Hawkpaw pricked his ears. "R-Really?" he asked.

Tigerheart nodded. "I know you, Hawkpaw," he mewed, twitching his whiskers. "Your worrying about the Clan is a sign of real loyalty… but it really isn't something you ought to fret about. You're just an apprentice – you need to focus. I'll let it slide for today, but if you keep daydreaming during training I'll give you a real walloping. Understand?"

Hawkpaw nodded. "Thank you, Tigerheart," he offered.

"Don't mention it," Tigerheart replied. "Now get to hunting – now that the prey's back, Snaketail's developed a real appetite."

Hawkpaw nodded once more and turn away from his temporary mentor. He opened his jaws to check the scents in the air, and then he padded off into the woods, hot on the trail of prey.

* * *

"Mouse-dung!" Hawkpaw exclaimed.

He wished he was hunting with Softpaw. She had so much more experience tracking prey than he did – she wouldn't have lost her _third_ mouse. Hawkpaw watched the creature race into the trees, taking its life with it.

_So this is what hunting alone is like,_ Hawkpaw decided. Since being made an apprentice almost a whole moon ago, he had never been hunting alone. Softpaw or Tigerheart had always been with him, teaching and helping him. Hunting alone gave him an empty feeling – like there should be someone beside him, telling him what he should be doing.

He smacked a paw against the ground in frustration.

_I can't give up,_ he decided.

He opened his jaws and found another prey-scent. He followed it through the trees and towards the ThunderClan border. It was a vole, and Hawkpaw saw it scurrying to and fro to gather seeds for itself. It saw, washing its face on a root, about three tail-lengths from the ThunderClan border.

Hawkpaw immediately dropped into a hunting crouch and began to creep forward, grateful that ShadowClan territory had little undergrowth for him to trip over. His dark pelt blended in with his surroundings, and his amber eyes gleaming with anticipation – this would be a vole he could not, would not, miss!

_I just have to make sure it doesn't cross the border,_ Hawkpaw thought.

He took a step forward.

The vole was unaware of his presence.

One more step.

The vole was still washing.

Hawkpaw felt excitement fill his body. His first catch of the day, finally!

A twig snapped somewhere in the forest.

The vole's ear twitched once and it was off – heading straight for its burrow. Before Hawkpaw could so much as twitch after it, the vole was already huddled in the safety of its earthen hole. Hawkpaw, stunned, stared at the spot where the vole had been with his mouth open.

_Its official,_ he decided. _I have the worst luck._

Another twig snapped.

"I can't believe we're doing this!" exclaimed an irritated voice.

Hawkpaw's ear twitched. That wasn't any voice he recognized, and it was coming from the ThunderClan side of the border. He quickly drew himself up against a pine tree, pressing his pelt into the wood and praying to StarClan that he would blend in.

"Bramblestar is nutty," the voice went on complaining.

"Will you stuff it, Toadstep?" snapped another voice. "If you don't, you'll be eating my tail!"

_They're ThunderClan cats!_ Hawkpaw realized. He hazarded to look out from his hiding place. There they were, on their side of the border, being led by Squirrelflight. The ginger deputy was looking angrily at one of her warriors – a white tom with black patches. The golden-brown warrior Brackenfur was with them, along with a small gray-and-white she-cat and a cream-and-brown tom.

"What're we doing here, anyway?" the cream-and-brown tom wondered. "I thought we were changing the border?"

"We are, Molepelt," Brackenfur mewed. "But we need to leave someone here to send a message to Rowanstar that it's been done."

"That'd be me," Squirrelflight mewed. "While I'm explaining it to ShadowClan, Brackenfur will lead you all to re-mark the border."

"I still can't believe we're doing this," Toadstep grumbled. "We should be fighting to keep it."

"Enough," Squirrelflight growled. "Bramblestar's decision is final."

Toadstep closed his mouth, but still looked upset about the decision. The gray-and-white she-cat rolled her eyes, as if exasperated at her Clanmate's behavior.

The dark ginger she-cat padded over the border, then looked back at Brackenfur. "Take them and re-mark the border. Do it quick, OK? I'll be back before sundown."

Brackenfur dipped his head in acknowledgement. Then, he turned and led the patrol back through the undergrowth. Hawkpaw watched them disappear into the undergrowth of their territory – soon to be ShadowClan land. His heart filled with hope – so that was one problem solved.

Squirrelflight settled herself in a patch of ferns, as if she were waiting for a patrol. Hawkpaw, however, knew that the sunhigh patrol was long gone now. He stepped out of his hiding space.

"H-Hello," he stammered. _How do I speak to the deputy of another Clan?_

Squirrelflight sat up, her green eyes sparkling. "Ah!" she mewed. "I wasn't expecting company so quickly. You're a ShadowClan apprentice, aren't you? I've seen you before."

Hawkpaw nodded. "I was hunting around here," he admitted. "You need to come back to my camp?"

"So you heard that, eh?" Squirrelflight sighed. "Toadstep needs to learn to keep his mouth shut… but yes, I do need to see Rowanstar. Can you take me?"

Hawkpaw nodded.

Squirrelflight flicked her bushy tail. "Lead the way!" she said, chipper.

Hawkpaw swallowed and led her through the trees.

* * *

"Hawkpaw! What're you doing back here so soon?" demanded Tigerheart.

Hawkpaw was just squeezing through the entrance to the camp. Squirrelflight was pawsteps behind him. Tigerheart's dark fur was fluffed up with irritation.

"You were supposed to be hunting!" Tigerheart scolded.

"Don't be too hard on him," Squirrelflight mewed, pushing through the barrier. "He can keep hunting if you want."

"Squirrelflight!" Tigerheart gasped. "What're you doing here?"

Squirrelflight flicked her tail. "I need to speak with Rowanstar," she announced. By now, her scent was flowing through the camp and those who were done with their daily duties were looking up and beginning to gather around her with lashing tails. Leafpool poked her head out of the medicine cat's den and let out a gasp at the sight of her sister.

"Very well," Tigerheart mewed. "Come with me." He glanced at Leafpool. "You can speak with her later."

Looking back at Hawkpaw, he ordered, "Get back to hunting, Hawkpaw."

"But…" Hawkpaw began. He wanted to see the meeting! He wanted to participate!

"I ordered you to hunt," Tigerheart mewed sternly. "Get to it. You'll get caught up later."

Hawkpaw sighed. Tigerheart led Squirrelflight to the hollow hazel tree, leaving a gossiping Clan in their wake. Hawkpaw sighed and turned away, knowing he would miss an announcement important to the survival of his Clan.

He turned away and pushed through the entrance again, padding out into the open territory.

* * *

Just as his luck had been about to turn around, Hawkpaw found himself cursed again. Hawkpaw had caught a mouse and a frog, burying them by the roots of a cedar tree near the camp. The marshlands were welling up with water around him, soaking his paws as he snorted – the prey-scent he had been following was lost in the stink of the murk.

_One more piece!_ He thought. _Just one more!_

He opened his jaws, but only smelled marshland. Sighing, he turned back. Hopefully drier territory would mean more prey.

As his paws began to dry, he found himself nearer to the lake than he had thought he was. The trees were neatly cut off in a Twoleg-made line by the lake's pebbly shore, and Hawkpaw was out in the open. The lake glittered before him in the light of the coming sunset, turning orange and purple and dazzling his eyes.

He realized that he was not the only one marveling at its beauty.

"Hello, little apprentice," purred Sol. "I knew you would find me here."


End file.
